Description of age-depending cellular changes in the human tonsil.
The growth and ageing of tonsils is described by means of the behaviour of the cell count, T cell count, DNA, and organ weight. Proliferation of cells and the influx of recirculating T lymphocytes cause hyperplasia up to the age of 17 approximately, later on the cell count and organ weight decrease again. The number of T cells in cell suspensions from the tonsil is lower than that of blood. Due to the proliferation decrease of B cells and the accumulation of recirculating T lymphocytes, the T cell count in the tonsil increases with advancing years. The tonsil function decrease as a result of this population shift. No influence of the differentiation of T cells by the tonsil can be detected.
D000375:Aging; D001769:Blood; D002452:Cell Count; D002455:Cell Division; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D009929:Organ Size; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000032:analysis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology
D004247:DNA