A light, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopic study of a Fetal mouse Skin Dendritic Cell line (FSDC)

Abstract

Dendritic cells (DC) are major players in initiating immune responses by activating T-lymphocytes. They act as sentinels in peripheral tissues, continuously scavenging for antigens in their immediate surroundings. Their involvement in T-cell responses consists of a linear progression of events starting with capture of antigens in peripheral tissues, such as the skin, followed by migration to draining lymphoid organs and presentation of antigen-derived peptides to induce T-cell priming. In the last years, a number of DC lines have been generated and the electron microscopy has been used to define their characteristics, thus contributing to their formal validation. A cell line with features of early DC precursors was previously established from fetal mouse skin (FSDC), but its ultrastructural organization was not fully investigated. Here we report such investigation using light (LM), scanning electron (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The goal is to use FSDC as a model system to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of selected plant extracts, fractions and isolated polyphenols against inflammatory processes. Our preliminary results with these cells showed anti-inflammatory activity for some of the extracts we are currently investigating.