CD3+ and Pax5+ Lymphocytes in the Dermis of Normal Skin from the Dorsolateral Thorax of Cats

Abstract

Very small numbers of resident T-lymphocytes are present in the dermis of normal skin of humans, cattle, sheep, dogs, and alpacas. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of lymphocytes, CD3+ cells (T-lymphocyte), and Pax5+ cells (B-lymphocyte) in the dermis of normal cat skin. Skin-biopsy specimens from the normal skin of the dorsolateral thorax from 29 cats were examined immunohistochemically for the presence of CD3+ and Pax5+ cells in the superficial and deep dermis. Two CD3+ lymphocytes were found in the superficial dermis in 1 of 29 cats. B-lymphocytes were not found.