Langerhans cells (LCs) are specialized dendritic cells (DCs) that play a defense role in recognizing foreign antigens, in tissue where antigenic exposures occur, as in the skin and mucous membranes. LCs are able to continuously move within the tissues thanks to dendritic contraction and distension performing their surveillance and/or phagocytosis role. These cells are characterized by the presence of Birbeck granules in their cytoplasm, involved in endocytosis. LCs have been characterized in several classes of vertebrates, from fish to mammals using different histological and molecular techniques. The aim of the present review is to define the state of art and the need of information about immunohistochemical markers of LCs in different classes of vertebrates. The most used immunohistochemical (IHC) markers are Langerin/CD207, CD1a, S-100 and TLR. These IHC markers are described in relation to their finding in different vertebrate classes with phylogenetical considerations. Among the four markers, Langerin/CD207 and TLR have the widest spectrum of cross reactivity in LCs.

朗格汉斯细胞 (LC) 是特化的树突细胞 (DC)，在识别外来抗原方面发挥防御作用，在发生抗原暴露的组织中，如在皮肤和粘膜中。由于树突收缩和扩张发挥其监视和/或吞噬作用，LC 能够在组织内连续移动。这些细胞的特征在于其细胞质中存在参与内吞作用的 Birbeck 颗粒。LCs 已在几类脊椎动物中进行了表征，从鱼类到哺乳动物，使用不同的组织学和分子技术。本综述的目的是确定不同种类脊椎动物 LC 免疫组织化学标志物的最新技术水平和信息需求。最常用的免疫组织化学 (IHC) 标志物是 Langerin/CD207、CD1a、S-100 和 TLR。这些 IHC 标记是根据它们在具有系统发育考虑的不同脊椎动物类别中的发现来描述的。在四个标记中，Langerin/CD207 和 TLR 在 LC 中具有最广泛的交叉反应性。