Quantitative analysis of OX62-positive dendritic cell distribution in the rat laryngeal complex.

OBJECTIVES

Dendritic cells (DCs) are key instigators of rejection after transplantation. Their distribution has not been systematically characterized in all locations of the larynx and its surrounding tissues.

METHODS

Rat larynges were stained with monoclonal antibodies identifying DCs. These cells were then enumerated by a new combination of techniques including immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, and imaging software.

RESULTS

The vast majority of DCs were located in the epithelium and subepithelium of the airway; the mean DC density ranged from 9 cells per square millimeter (0.2% of cells) to 645 cells per square millimeter (10.3% of cells). Their density in the epithelium was 3 to 11 times higher than that in the subepithelium. Non-airway sites (thyroid, parathyroid, muscle, fat) had mean DC densities varying from 3 cells per square millimeter (0.2%) to 57 cells per square millimeter (0.8%). No DCs were detected in cartilage.

CONCLUSIONS

Dendritic cells are concentrated in the laryngotracheal epithelium and subepithelium and represent a much smaller proportion in the other sites studied. A baseline for laryngeal DC population studies has been established, and a computerized model for consistent quantitation using confocal microscopy has been developed. This unique method will serve as a foundation for investigating DC trafficking after rat laryngeal transplantation.