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Updated: Aug 10, 2026
Isolation of Myeloid Dendritic Cells and Epithelial Cells from Human Thymus
Published on: September 20, 2013
Freshly isolated Thy-1+ dendritic epidermal cells express T cell receptor gamma delta-CD3
S Shimada1, S W Caughman, J A Bluestone
1Dermatology and Transplantation Biology Section, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Insights
Murine epidermis contains Thy-1+ dendritic epidermal cells (DEC) lacking CD4 and CD8 markers. These cells express the gamma delta T cell receptor (TCR) and CD3 complex, similar to early fetal thymocytes.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Dermatology
- T cell biology
Background:
- Murine epidermis harbors Thy-1+ dendritic epidermal cells (DEC) that do not express CD4 or CD8 antigens.
- The T cell receptor (TCR) and CD3 complex expression on these cells is not fully characterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the protein products of the TCR and CD3 complex on freshly isolated, non-cultured Thy-1+ DEC.
- To determine the specific type of TCR heterodimer expressed by these cells.
Main Methods:
- Immunofluorescence staining using monoclonal antibody 145-2C11 to detect CD3 expression.
- Immunoprecipitation with 145-2C11 and polyclonal anti-TCR-gamma antibody to identify TCR heterodimers.
- Analysis of freshly obtained, non-cultured Thy-1+ DEC.
Main Results:
- Virtually all Thy-1+ DEC showed bright CD3 expression via immunofluorescence.
- Immunoprecipitation revealed that the gamma delta heterodimer is the sole TCR type expressed on these cells.
- Thy-1+ DEC lack CD4 and CD8 antigens.
Conclusions:
- Thy-1+ DEC in murine epidermis express the gamma delta TCR and CD3 complex.
- These cells share phenotypic and TCR expression characteristics with early fetal thymocytes.
- This suggests a potential role for gamma delta T cells in epidermal immunity from early development.
Abstract:
Within murine epidermis exists a population of Thy-1+ DEC which express membrane Thy-1 antigen, but lack CD8 or CD4 antigen. We examined freshly obtained non-cultured Thy-1+ DEC both by immunofluorescence and by biochemical techniques to identify the protein products of the T cell receptor (TCR) and the associated CD3 complex on these cells. Virtually all of the Thy-1+ DEC are brightly positive in CD3 expression with immunofluorescence using the monoclonal antibody 145-2C11. By immunoprecipitation, using this same antibody and polyclonal anti-TCR-gamma antibody, the only TCR heterodimer detected on the freshly isolated Thy-1+ DEC is the gamma delta heterodimer. These findings suggest that in the phenotype and TCR expression, Thy-1+ DEC are analogous to CD8-, CD4- early fetal thymocytes.
