Dendritic cells in the human ileum: A light microscopic zinc iodide-osmium study

The presence of dendritic cells in human and animal epithelium and subepithelial tissue is demonstrated. The present study used human ileal specimens, resected for carcinoma, and revealed zinc iodide-osmium positive dendritic cells in the crypts of Lieberkühn and throughout the lamina propria. There were more cells in the lamina propria than in the crypts. Dendritic cells were polygonal with multiple short, thick processes in the lamina propria and were triangular, often with a single long process directed toward the crypt lumen, in the crypts. The cells did not have a typical, mature phenotype.