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Interdigitating reticulum cells in the human thymus

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Summary

Seven thymuses from children between 1 and 12 years were examined by electron microscopy. Biopsies had been taken during surgical correction of congenital heart defects.

In all cases we found interdigitating reticulum cells (IRC) in the medulla and inner cortex. These cells resembled the IRC which have been described previously in the thymus-dependent regions of the spleen and lymph node. They were characterized by an irregularly shaped nucleus, narrow cisterns of rough endoplasmic reticulum, and widespread interdigitation and invagination of the cell membrane. The surfaces of the IRC were in close contact with those of small lymphocytes, sometimes polysomal lymphatic cells, epithelial cells, and occasionally with those of lymphatic cells containing ergastoplasm.

The IRC is apparently a specific cell of thymus-dependent regions. It may be that the IRC in the thymus, lymph node, and spleen contribute to the microenvironment needed for the differentiation of T-cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, University of Kiel, Germany

    E. Kaiserling, H. Stein & H. K. Müller-Hermelink

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  1. E. Kaiserling
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  2. H. Stein
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  3. H. K. Müller-Hermelink
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Additional information

Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, SFB 111/CII and III.—We wish to thank Miss M. Neubert and Mrs. R. Köpke for their technical assistance and Mrs. M. Soehring for her help with the translation.

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Kaiserling, E., Stein, H. & Müller-Hermelink, H.K. Interdigitating reticulum cells in the human thymus. Cell Tissue Res. 155, 47–55 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220283

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220283

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