Characterization of Lymphoid Cells from the Human Fallopian Tube Mucosa

Abstract

Much information about the immune response available at mucosal surfaces has been derived through studies on the gut mucosa of man and animals (1,2). By contrast, relatively little is known about the immunocompetent cells and their activity from other mucosal surfaces. Several studies (3–6) have demonstrated differences between mucosal immune responses in different organs. One organ for which relatively little data is available is the human fallopian tube. Early studies by Tourville et. al. (7) on the localization of immunoglobulin producing cells in the human fallopian tube demonstrated the presence of IgG and IgA, but not IgM secreting cells in the lamina propria (LP) and along the basement membrane (BM). Biological consequences of the immunoglobulins produced by these cells is still speculative. In addition, immunocompenent cells other than B cells in the fallopian tube have not been identified or characterized. In order to increase our understanding of the types of immune responses which might take place at this important host-parasite interface, we initiated studies to determine the cell types present in Neisseria infected and uninfected organ culture models of human fallopian tubes.