Anatomical Distribution of T and B Lymphocytes in the Rat

Abstract

Two major classes of lymphocytes have been shown to exist in the rat as they do in the mouse: thymus-derived (T) 1 lymphocytes and bone marrow-derived (B) lymphocytes. Rats thymectomized at birth show a selective deficiency of T lymphocytes in peripheral lymphoid tissue, blood, and lymph (1, 2), and an associated defect in cellmediated immunity as evidenced by failure of the residual lymphocytes to initiate delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions (3) and to respond vigorously to foreign histocompatibility antigens in vivo (3) or in vitro (4). Similar cellular and functional defects have been described in adult rats after either thymectomy and irradiation (5, 6) or chronic drainage of lymph and cells from a thoracic duct fistula (2, 7).Neonatal thymectomy and chronic lymph drainage have little effect upon B lymphocytes in the rat (1, 2), although antibody responses that depend upon the collaboration of T and B lymphocytes are often severely depressed (5-9). B lymphocytes have been distinguished from T lymphocytes by their buoyant density, decreased rate of incorporation of RNA precursors, and propensity to migrate to the "thymus-.ndependent" areas of peripheral lymphoid tissue (10,11). 1In the present study, antilymphocyte sera (ALS) of restricted specificity have been used to further delineate the tissue distribution of T and B lymphocytes in the rat3 The results indicate that antisera raised in rabbits against rat * This is publication number 53 from the

Lymphoreticular response to a syngeneic rat tumour: gravimetric and histological studies

“…Edwards et al, 1971) and the principal histological finding was replacement of paracortical small lymphocytes by large, pale staining blastoid cells. Since the effector lymphocyte in our in vitro assay is likely to be T cell (Matthews et al, 1975) and the paracortex is the major site of node T cells (Goldschneider and McGregor, 1973), the simplest explanation of " terminal " anergy may be lack of sufficient " killer " cells, perhaps from failure of maturation, or alternatively depletion after tumour killing. The blastoid cell replacement might represent activated cells, unable to differentiate to killer cells following cell binding of antigen-antibody complexes.…”

Morphological and immunological definition of a malignant lymphoma derived from germinal-centre cells with cleaved nuclei (centrocytes)

“…Most GCC express Ia-like antigen (own unpublished data). Only some GCC bear surface immunoglobulin (SIg) (Gutman & Weissman, 1972;Goldschneider & McGregor, 1973;Hoffmann-Fezer et al, 1976; own unpublished data) and a few GCC contain cytoplasmic immunoglobulin (CIg); these usually resemble centrocytes (Stein & Tolksdorf in press). Characteristically, GCC express complement receptors, which was first demonstrated by Dukor et al (1970).…”

Histological observations on rat popliteal lymph nodes after blockage of their afferent lymphatics.

“…This meant that about 50 lymph follicles disappeared from the operated node. The lymph follicle comprises a solid accumulation of small lymphocytes, the majority of which are B lymphocytes (HOWARD et al, 1972;GOLDSCHNEIDER and MCGREGOR, 1973). The small lymphocytes, or B lymphocytes, accumulate in the follicles, because the stroma of the follicles has a capacity to collect this type of lymphocytes, as indicated by our previous observations (HOSHI et al, 1984b).…”