Localization and turnover rate of rat renal 'dendritic' cells

The turnover rate of rat renal dendritic cells was analysed by irradiation and bone marrow transplantation and by visualizing the dendritic cells in frozen sections of renal tissue via double indirect immunofluorescence and peroxidase assays. Interstitial dendritic cells disappear from rat renal tissue shortly after irradiation; after 7 days they can be seen again. However, since the renal proximal tubular cells also simultaneously lose and regain their class II contents, we assume that irradiation has resulted in the disappearance of the Ia antigen, not the dendritic cells proper. After allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, bone marrow-derived dendritic cells appear in renal tissue between days 7 and 10, indicating a relatively fast turnover rate of these cells in vivo.