Immunohistological localization of ligandin in human tissues.

An immunohistochemical localization of ligandin was undertaken in formalin fixed and paraffin wax embedded human tissues using the indirect immunoperoxidase (PAP) method and a monospecific antiligandin serum raised in rabbits. A substance reacting with this antiligandin serum was distributed diffusely in normal liver and selectively in kidney, intestine, testis, ovary and adrenal cortex. Small changes in the distribution and intensity of the reaction product were found in inflammatory conditions such as hepatitis, cholestasis, pyelonephritis and renal allograft rejection. Tissues which normally appear to contain abundant ligandin produce, as a general rule, easily demonstrate amounts of antiligandin reacting substance in the tumors and hyperplasias which arise from them.