Functional anatomy of lymph nodes. II. Peripheral lymph-borne mononuclear cells.
In the rabbit a number of large mononuclear cells with ruffled surface membranes travel from the skin and superficial tissues of the leg, via the lymphatics, to the popliteal lymph node: they constitute 40-50% of the total cell population in the afferent lymph. About 10% of these cells are actively phagocytic when tested in vitro and about 3% are found to contain Langerhans granules. After isotopic labelling the majority of lymph-borne mononuclear cells can be detected within the regional node for at least 24 hours; most being located in the paracortex and a few in the interfollicular cortex. It is proposed that these cells, including those containing Langerhans granules, belong to the "mononuclear phagocyte system." Possible functions of these lymph-borne cells are discussed with particular reference to antigen transport.
D000241:Adenosine / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008196:Lymph / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D011817:Rabbits
D000241:Adenosine