CHARACTERIZATION OF OVINE LYMPHATIC ENDOTHELIAL CELLS AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH LYMPHOCYTES

Abstract

The interaction of blood-borne lymphocyteswith blood vascular endothelial cells is afundamental component of lymphocytecirculation. The role of lymphatic endothelialcells is less certain. These studies describe theisolation, characterization and lymphocytebinding capacity of efferent lymphaticendothelial cells from ovine mesentericlymphatic vessels. Lymphatic endothelial cellshad anti-thrombin 3, von Willebrand Factorand MHC I on their surface. The cells alsoactively metabolized acetylated low densitylipoprotein. The morphological appearance wasindistinguishable from blood vascularendothelium but quite different from culturedsmooth muscle cells. Lymphocyte binding tolymphatic endothelial cells was notsignificantly different from binding to carotidartery or jugular vein endothelial cells. Thedegree of binding in all cases could beenhanced by incubating endothelial cells inmedium containing rh TNF- a (recombinanthuman tumor necrosis factor alpha).