Gnezditskaia E V, Beletskaia L V, Zakharova N A, Shakhanina K L
Biull Eksp Biol Med. 1980 Nov;90(11):580-3.
Lactoferrin-synthesizing cells were detected in the human thymus by immunofluorescence. LF cells in the thymus were shown to be more numerous, to possess greater secretory activity, and to appear earlier in the process of embryonal development as compared to the organ producing this protein (salivary gland). The data obtained suggest that in the thymus, lactoferrin apart from its known functions, bacteriostatic and ferrous iron-binding ones, acts as a heteroorgan antigen, i.e. provides lymphocytes of the thymus with information on this protein structure during natural immunologic tolerance induction.
通过免疫荧光法在人胸腺中检测到乳铁蛋白合成细胞。与产生这种蛋白质的器官（唾液腺）相比，胸腺中的乳铁蛋白细胞数量更多，具有更强的分泌活性，并且在胚胎发育过程中出现得更早。所获得的数据表明，在胸腺中，乳铁蛋白除了其已知的抑菌和结合亚铁离子的功能外，还作为一种异器官抗原，即在自然免疫耐受诱导过程中为胸腺淋巴细胞提供有关该蛋白质结构的信息。
