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Updated: Aug 9, 2026
An Efficient and High Yield Method for Isolation of Mouse Dendritic Cell Subsets
Published on: April 18, 2016
[Dendritic cells in dogs and cats: models of study in human pathology]
T Marchal1, I Saint-André, J P Magnol
1Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon, MARCY L'ETOILE France.
Insights
Langerhans
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Dermatology
- Veterinary Medicine
Context:
- Langerhans' cells (LC) are crucial immune cells in the epidermis, characterized by specific markers and Birbeck granules.
- Similar LC populations and Birbeck granules have been identified in dogs and cats.
- Canine cutaneous histiocytoma (CCH) offers a model for human LC disorders, and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) may model HIV infection in human LC.
Purpose:
- To highlight the comparative immunology of Langerhans' cells across species.
- To explore the potential of animal models (canine and feline) for studying human Langerhans' cell biology and diseases.
- To investigate the role of Langerhans' cells in viral infections like HIV and FIV.
Summary:
- Langerhans' cells (LC) in dogs and cats share phenotypic and ultrastructural similarities with human LC.
- Canine cutaneous histiocytoma (CCH) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) present valuable comparative models for human LC disorders and HIV infection, respectively.
- These animal models can advance understanding of LC proliferation, tumor rejection, and viral pathogenesis.
Impact:
- Provides a basis for comparative studies of epidermal immunity and dendritic cell function.
- Establishes canine and feline models for investigating Langerhans' cell tumors and viral infections.
- Enhances understanding of HIV pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets by studying FIV in feline LC.
Abstract:
Langerhans' cells (LC) are epidermal bone-marrow-derived dendritic cells. They represent in mankind 1 to 6% of the epidermal cells from which they can be distinguished by specific phenotype (membrane receptors and antigens related to the immune function) and by ultrastructural specific organelles: the Birbeck granules. In dogs and cats, such cells were recently described; they display a phenotype very similar to that of human LC (CD1, CD8, CD11/18, CD45 and MHC II positive for canine LC, and CD18, CD4, panleukocyte antigen and MHC II positive for feline ones) and in both species, Birbeck granules are observed. Furthermore occurs in dog a benign self-healing LC tumor: the canine cutaneous histiocytoma (CCH). This tumor exhibits numerous comparison points with a human LC disorder named Hashimoto-Pritzker disease, and thus may constitute an interesting model to explore causes of such a proliferation and mechanisms of tumor rejection. In 1986, Pedersen isolated in cats a new retrovirus very similar to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Since human LC may be infected by HIV, feline LC may represent a good candidate for an FIV model for exploring the infection of human LC by the HIV and for shedding light on the role of human LC located in the mucous membranes in the initial viral inoculation process.
