Composition and characteristics of distinct macrophage subpopulations in the mouse thymus

Liu,Lan-Tao; Lang,Zhi-Fang; Li,Ying; Zhu,Yong-Jie; Zhang,Jiu-Tao; Guo,Shang-Fu; Wang,Ji-Xi; Wang,Hong-Wei; Xu,Yu-Dong

doi:10.3892/mmr.2013.1448

Composition and characteristics of distinct macrophage subpopulations in the mouse thymus

Authors:
- Lan-Tao Liu
- Zhi-Fang Lang
- Ying Li
- Yong-Jie Zhu
- Jiu-Tao Zhang
- Shang-Fu Guo
- Ji-Xi Wang
- Hong-Wei Wang
- Yu-Dong Xu
View Affiliations

Affiliations: Department of Anatomy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150086, P.R. China, Mudanjiang Medical College, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, P.R. China
Published online on: April 26, 2013 https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2013.1448
Pages: 1850-1854

Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )

Metrics: Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )

Cited By (CrossRef): 0 citations Loading Articles...

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the composition, morphology, characteristics, distribution and function of distinct macrophage subpopulations in the mouse thymus. Apoptosis of mouse thymocytes was induced by glucocorticoids and three monoclonal antibodies against Mac-2, F4/80 and ED1 were used for immunofluorescence staining and immunohistochemical analysis. The morphology of thymic macrophages was examined by transmission electron microscopy. Four subpopulations of mouse thymic macrophages were identified. Dendritic macrophages were identified using anti-Mac-2 and anti-F4/80 antibodies, and were demonstrated to be distributed in the entire thymus. Phagocytes were also observed. In addition, plate-shaped macrophages, identified using the anti-F4/80 antibody, were distributed under the thymic cortex capsule. Small oval macrophages, identified using the anti-Mac-2 antibody, were distributed in the thymic medulla and corticomedullary region (CMR), while phagocytes were not observed in these types of cell. ED1+ thymic macrophages with irregular forms were distributed in the CMR. All of the four subpopulations of mouse thymic macrophages described above exhibited acid phosphate activity. This study indicated the existence of macrophage subpopulations with different shapes, distribution and functions in the mouse thymus.

View Figures

View References

1	Castor A, Nilsson L, Astrand-Grundström I, Buitenhuis M, Ramirez C, Anderson K, Strömbeck B, Garwicz S, Békássy AN, Schmiegelow K, Lausen B, Hokland P, Lehmann S, Juliusson G, Johansson B and Jacobsen SE: Distinct patterns of hematopoietic stem cell involvement in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Nat Med. 11:630–637. 2005. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
2	Hung FM, Chuang YY, Lee CS, Chen YL, Yang JS, Lin JJ, Lu KW, Huang HY, Yu CC, Lu HF and Chung JG: Butylated hydroxyanisole affects immunomodulation and promotes macrophage phagocytosis in normal BALB/c mice. Mol Med Report. 5:683–687. 2012.PubMed/NCBI
3	de Pooter RF, Cho SK, Carlyle JR and Zúñiga-Pflücker JC: In vitro generation of T lymphocytes from embryonic stem cell-derived prehematopoietic progenitors. Blood. 102:1649–1653. 2003.
4	Lee CK, Kim JK, Kim Y, Lee MK, Kim K, Kang JK, Hofmeister R, Durum SK and Han SS: Generation of macrophages from early T progenitors in vitro. J Immunol. 166:5964–5969. 2001. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
5	Luo H, Hao Y, Tang B, Zeng D, Shi Y and Yu P: Mouse forestomach carcinoma cells immunosuppress macrophages through transforming growth factor-β1. Mol Med Report. 5:988–992. 2012.
6	Naito M, Umeda S, Yamamoto T, Moriyama H, Umezu H, Hasegawa G, Usuda H, Shultz LD and Takahashi K: Development, differentiation, and phenotypic heterogeneity of murine tissue macrophages. J Leukoc Biol. 59:133–138. 1996.PubMed/NCBI
7	Dijkstra CD, Dopp EA, Joling P and Kraal G: The heterogeneity of mononuclear phagocytes in lymphoid organs: distinct macrophage subpopulations in the rat recognized by monoclonal antibodies ED1, ED2 and ED3. Immunology. 54:589–599. 1985.
8	Soga H, Nakamura M, Yagi H, Kayaba S, Ishii T, Gotoh T and Itoh T: Heterogeneity of mouse thymic macrophages: I. Immunohistochemical analysis. Arch Histol Cytol. 60:53–63. 1997. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
9	Jamieson CH, Ailles LE, Dylla SJ, Muijtjens M, Jones C, Zehnder JL, Gotlib J, Li K, Manz MG, Keating A, Sawyers CL and Weissman IL: Granulocyte-macrophage progenitors as candidate leukemic stem cells in blast-crisis CML. N Engl J Med. 351:657–667. 2004. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
10	Perry SS, Pierce LJ, Slayton WB and Spangrude GJ: Characterization of thymic progenitors in adult mouse bone marrow. J Immunol. 170:1877–1886. 2003. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
11	Akashi K, Richie LI, Miyamoto T, Carr WH and Weissman IL: B lymphopoiesis in the thymus. J Immunol. 164:5221–5226. 2000. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
12	Foss DL, Donskoy E and Goldschneider I: The importation of hematogenous precursors by the thymus is a gated phenomenon in normal adult mice. J Exp Med. 193:365–374. 2001. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
13	Hashimoto S, Suzuki T, Dong HY, Yamazaki N and Matsushima K: Serial analysis of gene expression in human monocytes and macrophages. Blood. 94:837–844. 1999.PubMed/NCBI
14	Laskin DL, Weinberger B and Laskin JD: Functional heterogeneity in liver and lung macrophages. J Leukoc Biol. 70:163–170. 2001.PubMed/NCBI
15	Hume DA, Ross IL, Himes SR, Sasmono RT, Wells CA and Ravasi T: The mononuclear phagocyte system revisited. J Leukoc Biol. 72:621–627. 2002.PubMed/NCBI
16	Huitinga I, Bauer J, Strijbos PJ, Rothwell NJ, Dijkstra CD and Tilders FJ: Effect of annexin-1 on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in the rat. Clin Exp Immunol. 111:198–204. 1998. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI