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Lymphocyte traffic through lymph nodes and Peyer's patches of the rat: B- and T-cell-specific migration patterns within the tissue, and their dependence on splenic tissue

Cell and Tissue Research volume 282, pages 377–386 (1995)Cite this article

Abstract

The migration routes of lymphocyte subsets through organ compartments are of importance when trying to understand the local events taking place during immune responses. We have therefore studied the traffic of B, T, CD4+, and CD8+ lymphocytes through lymph nodes and Peyer's patches. At various time points after injection into the rat, labeled lymphocytes were localized, and their phenotype characterized in cryostat sections using immunohistochemistry. Morphometry was also performed, and the recovery of 51Cr-labeled lymphocytes in these organs was determined. B and T lymphocytes entered the lymph nodes via the high endothelial venules in similar numbers. Most B lymphocytes migrated via the paracortex (T cell area) into the cortex (B cell area), and then back in substantial numbers into the paracortex. In contrast, T lymphocytes predominantly migrated into the paracortex and were rarely seen in the cortex. No obvious differences were seen between various lymph nodes and Peyer's patches and the routes of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes. After injection of lymphocytes into animals with autotransplanted splenic tissue, the number of B lymphocytes that had migrated into the B cell area of lymph nodes and of Peyer's patches was significantly decreased, whereas CD4+ lymphocytes migrated in larger numbers into the T cell area of both organs.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Zentrum Anatomie 4120, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, D-30623, Hannover, Germany

    Volker Blaschke, Reinhard Pabst & Jürgen Westermann

  2. MDC for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany

    Burghard Micheel

Authors
  1. Volker Blaschke
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  2. Burghard Micheel
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  3. Reinhard Pabst
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  4. Jürgen Westermann
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Additional information

This study was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemein-schaft (SFB 244, A7).

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Blaschke, V., Micheel, B., Pabst, R. et al. Lymphocyte traffic through lymph nodes and Peyer's patches of the rat: B- and T-cell-specific migration patterns within the tissue, and their dependence on splenic tissue. Cell Tissue Res 282, 377–386 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00318870

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00318870

Key words

  • In vivo
  • Lymphocytes
  • Migration
  • Lymph nodes
  • Peyer's patches
  • Microenvironment
  • Quantification
  • Rat (Lewis)