The recirculation of T and B lymphocytes in the athymic, nude rat.
The recirculation of lymphocytes through the tissues and their return to the blood were compared in nude and euthymic rats. Three approaches were used: the organ distribution of 15Cr-labelled lymphocytes from nude or euthymic donors at 24 h after injection; the compartmental distribution of B and T lymphocytes as assessed by autoradiography of the spleen, lymph nodes, and Peyer's patches; and the tempo of recirculation from blood to thoracic duct lymph as estimated by counting timed fractions of lymph from a recipient of labelled lymphocytes. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) The distribution of lymphocytes between organs and within organs is very similar in nude and euthymic recipients. In particular, B lymphocytes proceed normally to the follicular areas in the absence of T cells. (2) The recirculation from blood to lymph is delayed in nude rats. (3) For equal numbers of B and T cells injected intravenously about half as many B cells as T cells enter mesenteric and cervical lymph nodes, but approximately equal numbers of B and T cells enter the spleen and Peyer's patches.
D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement; D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D008196:Lymph / Q000166:cytology; D051381:Rats; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000002:abnormalities; D013997:Time Factors
D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes