THE PRESENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF DENDRITIC CELLS IN THE MUCOSA OF THE PORCINE GUT AND ASSOCIATED LYMPHOID TISSUES

In order to evaluate strategic distribution of dendritic cells (DC) in the mucosa of the porcine gut and associated lymphoid tissues as antigen presenting cells we applied three-color immunofluorescence (IF) by using monoclonal antibodies specific for porcine cell surface molecules (CD172, CD11R1, MHC II and CD16) on DCs. DC number is growing rapidly after birth, probably in response to antigenic stimulus. This multiplying may further accelerate the acute inflammatory response to bacterial and viral infections or protein antigens. DCs were strategically localized within the lamina propria (LP) of ileum villi, adjacent to the epithelial layer and around the crypts of caecum/colon. Quantitative differences could be the result of a dynamic cellular metabolism of DCs, that in the tested tissues of adult pigs from commercial farming undergo different stages of maturation, exhibiting different activity, such as entry and processing of intraluminal antigen, and migration from LP to regional lymph nodes after contact with these antigens. Variety of substances, whether of synthetic or natural origin can restore or stimulate nonspecific and specific immunity in domestic animals. Further experimental investigations are needed to estimate if natural non-AGP (antibiotic growth promotors) substances are able to modulate distribution patterns of porcine dendritic cells.