Isolation and characterization of antigen-presenting dendritic cells from the mouse intestinal lamina propria.

A method was developed for the isolation of antigen-presenting dendritic cells, and macrophages, from mouse intestinal lamina propria and Peyer's patches. Peyer's patches, and the lamina propria of both the small and large intestine, contained cells with potent stimulatory activity in the allogeneic mixed leucocyte reaction. These cells were separated from macrophages by fibronectin adherence and further enriched by density centrifugation. The isolated stimulatory cells expressed high levels of class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens, and resembled splenic dendritic cells in both morphology and function. Macrophages were recovered from the lamina propria but not Peyer's patches. These cells also expressed class II MHC antigens, but failed to stimulate the mixed leucocyte reaction and, instead, induced indomethacin-sensitive suppression.