Hs. Dua et al., MUCOSA SPECIFIC LYMPHOCYTES IN THE HUMAN CONJUNCTIVA, CORNEOSCLERAL LIMBUS AND LACRIMAL GLAND, Current eye research, 13(1), 1994, pp. 87-93
Conjunctiva associated lymphoid tissue shows several similarities to m
ucosa associated lymphoid tissue of the gut and respiratory tract. The
se similarities have been described in relation to lymphocyte subpopul
ations and epithelial cell morphology. However, unlike the lymphoid ti
ssue of the gut and respiratory tract, mucosa specific lymphocytes hav
e not been described in the ocular mucosa. In this study we demonstrat
ed the presence of mucosa specific lymphocytes bearing the Human Mucos
al Lymphocyte - 1 antigen (beta 7 integrin), in the human conjunctiva,
limbus and lacrimal gland. The distribution of this subset of lymphoc
ytes corresponded to the distribution of CD8+ T-cells and was found ma
ximally in the epithelium of the epibulbar conjunctiva and in the lacr
imal gland. The Human mucosal lymphocyte antigen may function to deter
mine mucosal homing of this particular subset of CD8+ T-cells, which i
n turn, may have special function in immunological defense and toleran
ce mechanisms occurring at mucosal surfaces.