Summary
Germinal centers of the rabbit appendix were studied for the presence of complement receptors, immunoglobulin and alkaline phosphatase. In popliteal lymph nodes, de novo-developing germinal centers were studied with respect to these markers up to 21 days after sheep red blood cell (SRBC)-stimulation. In addition, the possible presence of antigen (SRBC) receptor-bearing cells in these germinal centers was investigated.
The results may be summarized as follows: 1) Germinal centers in the appendix as well as those in popliteal lymph nodes were rich in complement receptor-bearing cells. Complement-receptor density did not significantly change during a germinal-center reaction. 2) Immunoglobulins were present only at very low densities on the surface of lymphoid cells in the densely populated area of germinal centers. In germinal centers of popliteal lymph nodes lymphoid cells in the thinly populated area again showed higher densities. Immunoglobulins possibly complexed with antigen on the surface of follicular dendritic cells were not observed in the initial phase of a germinal center reaction. In contrast, in germinal centers of the appendix, immunoglobulin was present in excessive amounts throughout the thinly populated area, possibly complexed with antigen, which is also abundantly present. 3) Reticular staining patterns of alkaline phosphatase were present in the densely populated area, but absent in the thinly populated area of germinal centers in both appendix and popliteal lymph nodes. Primary follicles and young germinal centers were alkaline phosphatase-negative. 4) Antigen receptor-bearing cells were detected in germinal centers of popliteal lymph nodes as early as 5 days after SRBC-stimulation, reaching a maximum at day 10.
In conclusion, with the present experimental approach, microenvironmental differences were shown between the densely populated area and the thinly populated area of germinal centers. However, no indication was obtained for a postulated maturation event of the lymphocytes within germinal centers, or for functional differences that may exist between germinal centers in the appendix and popliteal lymph nodes.
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Opstelten, D., Stikker, R., Deenen, G.J. et al. Germinal centers and the B-cell system. Cell Tissue Res. 224, 505–516 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00213748
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00213748