Large granular lymphocytes in the oviduct of developing and hormone-treated chickens

1. In the present study the distribution of large granular lymphocytes (LGL s) and influence of oestrogen on these cells was investigated in the oviduc t of chickens by the observation of H and E stained sections. 2. The LGLs first appeared in the oviduct at 9 weeks and their frequency of occurrence increased with age and was highest in the infundibulum and vagi na from 21 to 32 weeks of age. The frequency of occurrence of LGLs from mag num to uterus (glandular part) was low. These cells were located at the bas e, middle and apical parts of the lining epithelium as well as in the sperm -storage glandular epithelium. 3. When chickens of 21 weeks were treated with DES, LGLs abundantly infiltr ated in the oviducal epithelium in comparison to the control. 4. These results suggested that the development of LGLs in the oviduct of c hickens correlates with oestrogen secretion.