title: Regional variations in the distribution of small intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes in alymphoplasia (aly/aly) mice and heterozygous (aly/+) mice.
abstract: Regional variations in intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) in the small intestine were examined in alymphoplasia mutant (aly/aly) mice, which are characterized by the systemic absence of lymph nodes and Peyer's patches, and heterozygous (aly/+) mice. The small intestines were taken from 10 to 12-week-old mice and divided equally into 3 parts (the proximal, middle and distal parts). IELs were isolated from each part of the intestine and analyzed with a flow cytometer. The number of IELs in the distal part was significantly fewer in aly/aly mice compared with aly/+ mice, although the total number of small intestinal IELs were comparable between them. As to the IELs subsets, regional variations in alphabeta T cells and gammadelta T cells were observed in aly/+ mice, but they disappeared in aly/aly mice. However, regional variations in composition of alphabeta T cell subsets were similarly observed in both aly/aly mice and aly/+ mice. This indicates that, although not essential, mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) and/or Peyer's patches may modify the regional variations in IELs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Doi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D006579:Heterozygote; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000166:cytology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology*