Age-related morphological changes in lymphocytes as a model of aging.
The same age-related morphological changes have been observed in the lymph node and spleen lymphocytes of old untreated Wistar rats and CBA/Ca mice. The same age-related changes were also observed in the peripheral lymphocytes of healthy humans. The most important changes were seen in the mitochondria of the lymphoid cells. They were sometimes swollen; the mitochondrial cristae disappeared and were replaced by myelin-like forms or filamentous structures. The mitochondrial changes developed only in non-labelled lymphoid cells, presumably the T cells. It is suggested that lymphocytes be used as a morphological model for the study of aging and its modification.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008954:Models, Biological; D051381:Rats; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology