Subpopulation of murine epidermal Langerhans cells identified by lectin-binding sites.

Lectin-binding profiles of epidermal Langerhans cells (LCs) were investigated in three strains of mice using immunofluorescence procedures. Three lectin-binding profiles were observed in each strain of mice. Most epidermal LCs reacted with concanavalin A (Con A) and Ricinus communis agglutinin 1 (RCA-1), whereas none reacted with Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA). Peanut agglutinin (PNA) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) reacted with some of the epidermal LCs. These binding profiles were similar from site to site of the body in all strains of mice. We also investigated the lectin-binding profiles of epidermal Ia positive (Ia+) cells migrating into the grafted skin up to 165 days after transplantation. BALB/c (H-2d) murine skin was grafted onto the back of (C3H/He x BALB/c)F1 (H-2k x H-2d) mice. The percentages of migrating I-A+ epidermal cells reactive with PNA and WGA were different from those of the normal epidermis soon after grafting and reached a normal level at 43 days after grafting. Our results demonstrated that there is a heterogeneous population of epidermal LCs defined by lectin-binding profiles.