T-CELL SUBCLASSES IN FETAL HUMAN ILEUM

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  • 1 September 1986
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 65  (3) , 553-558
Abstract
Lymphocytes within fetal human ileum were studied by immunocytochemistry to determine the appearance of T cells in human small intestine and the role of enteric antigen in the accumulation of cells of the suppressor/cytotoxic phenotype in the gut epithelium. In fetal human gut epithelium, cells bearing the pan T cell maker UCHT1 (CD3) were present in all of the specimens studied (11-19 weeks gestation). Of these, UCHT4+ (CD8, suppressor/cytotoxic phenotype) predominated over the leu3a+(CD4, helper/inducer phenotype), although the differences were not as marked as in postnatal gut. UCHT1+ cells were also present in the lamina propria, frequently as small aggregates beneath the epithelium.