Identification of T and B lymphocytes in the human conjunctiva and lacrimal gland in ocular diseases.
The presence and localisation of T and B lymphocytes in biopsy specimens of human conjunctiva and lacrimal gland from 34 patients were studied in frozen sections. Eighteen patients had follicular conjunctivitis, 13 patients had Sjögren's syndrome, and 3 were normal. All cases of follicular conjunctivitis showed a similar picture. B cells were in higher number than T cells, but both types of lymphocytes were present in the infiltrates. In the developed follicles T cells occupied the periphery and B cells the central part of the infiltrates. In patients with Sjögren's syndrome the conjunctival biopsies showed a higher number of B lymphocytes. The number of T cells was higher in the lesions from Sjögren's syndrome than in cases of follicular conjunctivitis. The infiltrate in lacrimal gland biopsies showed T cells which were scattered while B cells were more numerous and formed clusters close to vessels. Normal conjunctiva and lacrimal gland showed no adherence of either sheep erythrocytes or human erythrocytes sensitised with antibody and complement.
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology*; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000209:etiology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000473:pathology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*