Immunoelectron microscopic characterization of a subpopulation of freshly isolated epidermal Langerhans cells that reacts with anti-CD23 monoclonal antibody.

Large subsets of leucocytes were recently shown to express the low affinity receptor for the Fc portion of IgE. Because Langerhans cells (LC) are epidermal leucocytes, we investigated whether LC of normal human subjects might express this receptor. Whereas conventional immunofluorescence on epidermal sheets gave negative results, highly sensitive immunoelectron microscopy revealed that a subset (about one-third) of freshly isolated LC express the CD23 molecule.