Antigen presentation by epithelial cells of the rat small intestine. I. Kinetics, antigen specificity and blocking by anti-Ia antisera.

Abstract

Columnar epithelial cells (EC), isolated from the proximal small intestine of the rat, bind ovalbumin (OVA) by a non-specific, cold-inhibitable mechanism and continue to express Ia antigens after 24 hr culture in vitro. Lymph node T cells from rats immunized with OVA proliferate following 18 hr coculture with EC and OVA. This accessory cell function of EC is antigen-specific and is blocked by anti-Ia monoclonal antisera.