THE INCREASE IN PERMEABILITY OF POST-CAPILLARY VENULES IN LYMPH-NODES SUBJECTED TO THE REGIONAL GRAFT VERSUS HOST-REACTION

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 42  (6) , 589-595
Abstract
The changes in permeability of blood vessels in the draining lymph nodes of the footpads [of rats] undergoing a regional graft-vs.-host, host-vs.-graft or antisheep erythrocytes reaction, were examined 30 min after i.v. injection of Pelikan Ink. Massive leakage of C particles was seen only in the postcapillary venules where endothelial cells became flattened. This was observed in lymph nodes 3-7 days after induction of the regional graft-vs.-host reaction and occurred mainly through intercellular gaps in the endothelium. This transient increase in permeability of postcapillary venules was apparently independent of cellular emigration. No obvious increase in C permeability was observed in lymph nodes subjected to the regional host-vs.-graft reaction; the uptake of cellular and noncellular elements of the blood by endothelial cells of postcapillary venules was greatly increased. There was no increase in C permeability in antisheep erythrocyte-stimulated lymph nodes.