Forssman glycosphingolipid as an immunohistochemical marker for mouse
stromal macrophages in hematopoietic foci
Y Sadahira, M Mori, M Awai, S Watarai and T Yasuda
Department of Pathology, Okayama University Medical School, Japan.
The immunohistochemical distribution of Forssman glycosphingolipid (GSL) in
mouse hematopoietic tissue was examined by using light and electron
microscopic immunoperoxidase methods with a highly specific rabbit
anti-Forssman GSL antibody. Bone marrow, splenic red pulp, and thymic
macrophages, which are closely associated with hematopoietic cells, were
stained by the antibody, whereas hematopoietic cells, circulating cells,
alveolar macrophages, Kupffer cells, peritoneal resident macrophages, and
macrophages derived from granulocyte- macrophage colony-forming units
cultured in the presence of L-cell- conditioned medium were not stained. In
addition, thymic cortical epithelial cells, the framework of reticular
cells of the cortical and medullary regions of the mesenteric lymph node
and periarterial lymphoid sheath of the spleen, and some vessels of the
tissues examined were also stained. After phlebotomy, the fine cytoplasmic
processes of Forssman-positive splenic red pulp macrophages were
distributed extensively throughout the erythroid colonies. On the other
hand, after hypertransfusion, these macrophages retracted their processes,
became round, and tended to aggregate. These results indicate that Forssman
GSL can be used as an immunohistochemical marker for stromal macrophages in
the hematopoietic foci of the bone marrow and splenic red pulp.
Volume 72,
Issue 1,
pp. 42-48,
07/01/1988
Copyright © 1988 by The American Society of Hematology
