Autocrine/paracrine TGFbeta1 is required for the development of epidermal Langerhans cells.

ABSTRACT: Langerhans cells (LCs) are bone marrow (BM)-derived epidermal dendritic cells (DCs) that develop from precursors found in the dermis. Epidermal LCs are absent in transforming growth factor (TGF) beta1-deficient mice. It is not clear whether TGFbeta1 acts directly on LC precursors to promote maturation or whether it acts on accessory cells, which in turn affect LC precursors. In addition, the physiologic source of TGFbeta1 is uncertain because BM chimera experiments showed that neither hematopoietic nor nonhematopoietic-derived TGFbeta1 is required for LC development. To address these issues, we created mice transgenic for a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) containing the gene for human Langerin into which Cre recombinase had been inserted by homologous recombination (Langerin-Cre). Th

SUBMITTER: Kaplan DH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2118472 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature