A CHANGE IN THE LOCALIZATION OF THE REGION TRAPPING IMMUNE-COMPLEXES IN RAT POPLITEAL LYMPH-NODES DURING DEVELOPMENT OF GERMINAL-CENTERS, WITH REGARD TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF FOLLICULAR DENDRITIC CELLS
H. Sato et al., A CHANGE IN THE LOCALIZATION OF THE REGION TRAPPING IMMUNE-COMPLEXES IN RAT POPLITEAL LYMPH-NODES DURING DEVELOPMENT OF GERMINAL-CENTERS, WITH REGARD TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF FOLLICULAR DENDRITIC CELLS, Histology and histopathology, 11(2), 1996, pp. 293-302
A study was conducted to clarify changes in the relationship between t
he region of immune complex (IC) trapping by follicular dendritic cell
s (FDCs) and the distribution of FDC during reaction of germinal cente
rs (GCs), and to examine the relationship between the tridimensional s
hape of the IC-trapping regions and their two-dimensional shape. Five-
week-old rats were given footpad injections of sheep red blood cells,
and then their popliteal lymph nodes were excised between days 0 and 4
2, 24 h after injection of peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex (PAP) as
an IC. The specimens were immunostained for PAP trapping on serial par
affin sections, and for S-100 protein as a marker of FDCs. It was foun
d that during the GC reaction, PAP trapping became weak and then disap
peared on the basal side of developing GCs where S-100 protein-positiv
e FDCs were still present. All of the 1933 lymph follicles examined we
re found to trap PAP. Whereas the tridimensional shapes of the trappin
g regions showed similar patterns according to the development of lymp
h follicles, their two-dimensional shapes varied. We suggest that FDCs
in primary follicles may differentiate into FDCs in the light zone an
d FDCs in the dark zone in secondary follicles. To evaluate each of th
e compartments of a lymph follicle more accurately, investigators shou
ld pay attention to the tridimensional shape of the compartment.