Selective migration of OVA-laden DC subpopulations to the draining tLNs.

(A) Experimental design and gating strategy for the identification of major DC subpopulations that take up fluorescent OVA and migrate to the tLNs. An electronic gate was set on viable tLN-derived cells based on the physical properties size and granularity represented by forward scatter (FSC) und sideward scatter (SSC), respectively. A second electronic gate was set on CD11c+MHCII+ DCs, and cell surface expression of B220 was used to distinguish between B220low cDCs/MoDCs and B220hi pDCs. Uptake of fluorescent OVA by DCs in general as well as by both subpopulations is shown in fluorescence histograms. Shaded histograms represent controls performed with unlabeled OVA. (B) Quantitation of OVA-laden cells that migrated to the draining tLNs or to the non-draining submandibular LN (smLN) in response to the sensitization conditions indicated. Symbols represent individual mice. Mean values are indicated. (C) Quantitation of OVA-laden cDCs/MoDCs and pDCs that migrated to the draining tLN in response to OVA sensitization and co-exposure to graded doses of virus. Bars represent mean values +/- SEM. Shown are data compiled from 2 independent experiments. Asterisk-coded statistical significances: *P≤0.05; ***P≤0.001; n.s.: not significant.