Summary
Macrophages and entodermal reticulum cells in the thymus of Wistar rats contrast by their rich contents of acid phosphatase and unspecific esterase activity with the negativ reacting lymphocytes.
Frequency and distribution of the cells vary according to different stages of age: at cost of the entodermal reticular cells the number of macrophages increases with progressive age. In sexually mature animals they form a typical layer at the corticomedullary junction.
The functional meaning of acid phosphatase in the entodermal reticulum cells is discussed under the assumption that this enzyme is lysosomebound. In the involuting thymus lysosomes are involved in autolytic or phagocytic processes.
The question arises wether lysosomes in entodermal reticulum cells in the thymus of newborn animals can take part in the control of an humoral function of the thymus.
Zusammenfassung
Makrophagen und entodermale Retikulumzellen samt Ausläufern lassen sich im Thymus der Wistar-Ratte durch den histochemischen Nachweis der sauren Phosphatase und der unspezifischen Esterase selektiv darstellen, während die Lymphozyten nicht reagieren.
Häufigkeit und Verteilung der Retikulumzellen und Makrophagen lassen altersabhängige Unterschiede erkennen: Auf Kosten der Retikulumzellen nimmt die Zahl der Makrophagen mit fortschreitendem Lebensalter zu. Bei geschlechtsreifen Tieren bilden sie einen Wall an der Mark-Rinden-Grenze.
Die Bedeutung der sauren Phosphatase in entodermalen Retikulumzellen wird unter der Annahme diskutiert, daß es sich um lysosomengebundenes Ferment handelt. Lysosomen sind im involvierenden Thymus wahrscheinlich an autolytischen oder phagozytotischen Prozessen beteiligt. Es stellt sich die Frage, ob Lysosomen in entodermalen Retikulumzellen des Thymus neugeborener Tiere in die Abgabe einer humoral wirksamen Substanz eingreifen können.
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Pfoch, M., Welsch, U. Altersabhängige Veränderungen im histochemischen Reaktionsmuster des Thymus bei Wistar-Ratten. Z. Zellforsch. 104, 138–148 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00340055
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00340055