Low titers of antibodies reactive with an antigen present in the intercellular (IC) areas and basement-membrane zone (BMZ) of stratified squamous epithelium were observed in the serum of 26% (11 of 42) and 7% (3 of 42) patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy, respectively, by the method of indirect immunofluorescence (IF). IC IF staining could be differentiated from similar IF patterns which are obtainable with sera from individuals with high titers of blood group isohemagglutinins by their stability following absorption with blood group-specific substances A and B. The finding of BMZ antibodies was particularly interesting in view of the suggested association of manifestations of bullous pemphigoid and the occurrence of internal malignancy.

In addition to plasma the presence of subunit a of blood coagulation Factor XIII (FXIIl) has been verified in platelets and megakariocytes. Most recently, we demonstrated that human peripheral blood monocytes also contain FXIII subunit a. The present study was designed 1/ to determine the stage in the maturation sequence of bone marrow monocytopoesis in which FXIII appears 2/ to establish if FXIII is retained during differentiation into macrophages 3/ to assess how general is the presence of FXIII subunit a in different types of macrophages. FXIII subunit a was immunomorphologically detected in bone marrow smears, in cytospin preparations of cells from serous cavities (pleural, peritoneal, pericardial and synovial spaces), and paraformaldehyde-fixed paraffin-embedded or frozen sections of different organs where classical types of macrophages have been described earlier (liver, lung, thymus, skin, connective tissue, prostate and developing bone) . Cells containing FXIII subunit a were intensively characterized by immunofluorescent and enzymecytochemical techniques in double and treble labeling systems. Its presence was clearly demonstrated in promonocytes of bone marrow, and in all probability, it is present in monoblasts, as well. FXIII was also found in macrophages from different serous cavities and in embryonic osteoclasts. Cells containing FXIII subunit a of connective tissue were found to be tissue histiocytes, and not fibroblasts as previously thought. Kupffer cells of the liver and Langerhans cells of the epidermis were negative supporting theories that these cells are not members of monocyte-derived macrophage cell population. Immunomorphological detection of FXIII subunit a seems to be a useful marker for labeling the continuum of monocyte/macrophage cell line from the earliest ftrais in the bone marrow to the mature forms of macrophages and might be a valuable tool in the cytological diagnosis of malignant disorders of this cell line.

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