EFFECTS OF CERTAIN IMMUNITY SYSTEMIC ADJUVANTS, PHA, AND HUMAN GAMMA-GLOBULIN ON THYMIC CORTEX OF MICE - LIGHT AND ELECTRON-MICROSCOPE STUDY

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 24  (6) , 396-404
Abstract
The thymus of (C57 B1/6 .times. DBA/2) F1 mice was examined histologically, histochemically and ultrastructurally, 7 days after i.v. injection of BCG, pertussis vaccine, [Salmonella typhi] lipopolysaccharide or human .gamma.-globulin, or i.v. injection of complete or incomplete Freund''s adjuvants or phytohemagglutinin. Only BCG induced a marked increase of the secretory activity of the thymic epithelium at all histological sites (cortex, corticomedullary junction and medulla). Only with this adjuvant was the epithelial hyperplasia associated with marked mitotic activity and high percentage of cells with cytoplasmic pyroninophilia among cortical lymphoid cells. The other substances tested produced different changes in the thymic epthelial cells according to the histologic zones. The epithelial cells of the cortex, the corticomedullary junction and the medulla apparently respond differently to the agents tested; the action of these substances upon thymus-dependent lymphoid cells may be indirect, perhaps involving factors secreted by the epithelial cells.

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