Epidermal langerhans cellsin the oppossum, Trichosurus vulpecula

Abstract

Extract

Madam:-Langerhans cells (LC) are dendritic cells of bone marrow origin found above the basal cell layer of the epidermis and in mucous membranes. ⁽⁹⁾ They are the only epidermal cells that have Fc and C3b receptors ⁽¹¹⁾ and express class II histocompatibility structures. ^{(1) (5)} These features suggest that LC are the epidermal equivalent of macrophages but the relationship between these two types of cells is uncertain. ⁽⁹⁾ LC are involved in the induction of contact hypersensitivity [CHS], ^{(6) (7) (8) (10)} their density determining whether CHS or immunological tolerance follows skin painting with haptens. ⁽¹²⁾