title: A morphological and immunohistological study of the human and rabbit appendix for comparison with the avian bursa.
abstract: Diversification of the primary antibody repertoire occurs in young rabbit appendix. As a prelude to molecular investigation of whether human appendix has a similar role, we compared the lymphoid morphology and distribution of common B- and T-cell subsets in frozen and/or paraffin-embedded normal appendix specimens at various ages. IgA, IgM and IgG staining patterns were similar in frozen human and rabbit appendices. The elongated follicles of the young human and rabbit appendices regressed with age to resemble Peyer's patches. Although similar in morphology to the bursa, human and rabbit appendix follicles differ in that they do not involute completely with age and contain significant numbers of germinal center (GC) T cells although the number is low early in life. If the human appendix functions as a primary lymphoid organ, it may occur during the first few months of age when the GC T-cell density is low.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. jdasso@atlas.niaid.nih.gov
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Dasso
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Obiakor
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bach
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Mage
mesh_terms: D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D001065:Appendix / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002060:Bursa of Fabricius / Q000276:immunology*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D002645:Chickens; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009244:NAD+ Nucleosidase / Q000032:analysis; D011817:Rabbits; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014281:Trihexosylceramides / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D014281:Trihexosylceramides; C018549:globotriaosylceramide; D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase; C498154:CD38 protein, human; D009244:NAD+ Nucleosidase; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1