The histopathology of tissues in "resistant" and "susceptible" strains of mice infected with a moderate dose of Mycobacterium lepraemurium.
A systematic study by light and electron microscopy of tissues from BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice infected subcutaneously with 10(7) Mycobacterium lepraemurium organisms was carried out at various times throughout the infection. The relatively resistant C57BL/6 mice had an earlier inflammatory response at the site of the infection than did the susceptible BALB/c mice. The infiltration in the former strain contained fibroblast-like cells and epithelioid cells early on in the infection. Few lymphocytes were observed in both strains throughout the infection. The spread of acid-fast bacilli was slower in the resistant strain (C57BL/6). The findings indicated that the rate of cellular infiltration at the infection site and the nature of the cells in the infiltration may determine the outcome of this infection.
D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D009167:Mycobacterium lepraemurium; D013997:Time Factors