Appearance of peculiar vessels with immunohistological features of high endothelial venules in the dermis of moxibustion-stimulated rat skin

Morphological changes of the dermal blood vessels of moxibustion-stimulated rat skin were examined with reference to the lymphocyte migration. After l ong-term stimulation with direct moxibustion to the acupoint Tsu-San-Li (St -36), peculiar vessels that possess immunohistological features of high end othelial venules could be observed in the moxa-stimulated acupoint dermis. Endothelial cells of the vessels had well-developed Golgi apparatus in thei r plump cytoplasms, and they strongly expressed intercellular adhesion mole cule-1 on the luminal surface. These data suggest that the appearance of th e peculiar vessels in the dermis acts toward the active infiltration of blo od-lymphocytes into the acupoint skin.