Skip to main content
PMC home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1984 Feb;43(2):693–699. doi: 10.1128/iai.43.2.693-699.1984

Morphological study of antigen-sampling structures in the rat large intestine.

P W Bland, D C Britton
PMCID: PMC264355  PMID: 6693172

Abstract

Organized lymphoid tissue in the rat colon exists as clusters (colonic lymphoid patches) of intramucosal and submucosal follicles in the proximal, mid, and distal colon, interspersed by solitary follicles. The follicular lymphoid cells of colonic lymphoid patches are separated from the gut lumen by a highly specialized lymphoepithelium which lacks mature goblet cells. Cells of this epithelium are of two types: those characterized by an electron-dense cytoplasm, large numbers of apical vesicles and lysosomes, and prolonged extensions of the apical cytoplasm forming thin partitions between the gut lumen and underlying intercellular spaces; and cells with a less electron-dense cytoplasm, distorted mitochondria, and little endoplasmic reticulum. Both cell types bear normal microvilli and have numerous lateral membrane processes which penetrate large intercellular spaces. A ferritin-India ink label infused into the colonic lumen was preferentially adsorbed onto the surface of this follicle-associated epithelium. Indigenous colonic bacteria were observed penetrating the superficial cytoplasm of the electron-dense cells where they were enclosed in lysosomes and digested. An antigen-sampling role is proposed for the colonic lymphoid patch epithelium.

Full text

PDF
698

Images in this article

694Image
on p.694
694Image
on p.694
695Image
on p.695
695Image
on p.695
695Image
on p.695
696Image
on p.696
696Image
on p.696
697Image
on p.697
697Image
on p.697

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Berg R. D., Garlington A. W. Translocation of certain indigenous bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract to the mesenteric lymph nodes and other organs in a gnotobiotic mouse model. Infect Immun. 1979 Feb;23(2):403–411. doi: 10.1128/iai.23.2.403-411.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Berg R. D. Promotion of the translocation of enteric bacteria from the gastrointestinal tracts of mice by oral treatment with penicillin, clindamycin, or metronidazole. Infect Immun. 1981 Sep;33(3):854–861. doi: 10.1128/iai.33.3.854-861.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bienenstock J., Johnston N. A morphologic study of rabbit bronchial lymphoid aggregates and lymphoepithelium. Lab Invest. 1976 Oct;35(4):343–348. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bienenstock J., Johnston N., Perey D. Y. Bronchial lymphoid tissue. I. Morphologic characteristics. Lab Invest. 1973 Jun;28(6):686–692. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Bockman D. E., Cooper M. D. Early lymphoepithelial relationships in human appendix. A combined light- and electron-microscopic study. Gastroenterology. 1975 May;68(5 Pt 1):1160–1168. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Bockman D. E., Cooper M. D. Pinocytosis by epithelium associated with lymphoid follicles in the bursa of Fabricius, appendix, and Peyer's patches. An electron microscopic study. Am J Anat. 1973 Apr;136(4):455–477. doi: 10.1002/aja.1001360406. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Carter P. B., Collins F. M. The route of enteric infection in normal mice. J Exp Med. 1974 May 1;139(5):1189–1203. doi: 10.1084/jem.139.5.1189. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Craig S. W., Cebra J. J. Peyer's patches: an enriched source of precursors for IgA-producing immunocytes in the rabbit. J Exp Med. 1971 Jul 1;134(1):188–200. doi: 10.1084/jem.134.1.188. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Friedmann I., Michaels L., Gerwat J., Bird E. S. The microscopic anatomy of the naspharyngeal tonsil by light and electron microscopy. ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec. 1972;34(4):195–209. doi: 10.1159/000275051. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Griscelli C., Vassalli P., McCluskey R. T. The distribution of large dividing lymph node cells in syngeneic recipient rats after intravenous injection. J Exp Med. 1969 Dec 1;130(6):1427–1451. doi: 10.1084/jem.130.6.1427. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Guy-Grand D., Griscelli C., Vassalli P. The gut-associated lymphoid system: nature and properties of the large dividing cells. Eur J Immunol. 1974 Jun;4(6):435–443. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830040610. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hamilton S. R., Keren D. F., Yardley J. H., Brown G. No impairment of local intestinal immune response to keyhole limpet haemocyanin in the absence of Peyer's patches. Immunology. 1981 Mar;42(3):431–435. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Husband A. J., Gowans J. L. The origin and antigen-dependent distribution of IgA-containing cells in the intestine. J Exp Med. 1978 Nov 1;148(5):1146–1160. doi: 10.1084/jem.148.5.1146. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kagnoff M. F., Campbell S. Functional characteristics of Peyer's patch lymphoid cells. I. Induction of humoral antibody and cell-mediated allograft reactions. J Exp Med. 1974 Feb 1;139(2):398–406. doi: 10.1084/jem.139.2.398. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Kealy W. F. Colonic lymphoid-glandular complex (microbursa): nature and morphology. J Clin Pathol. 1976 Mar;29(3):241–244. doi: 10.1136/jcp.29.3.241. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. MacDonald T. T., Carter P. B. Isolation and functional characteristics of adherent phagocytic cells from mouse Peyer's patches. Immunology. 1982 Apr;45(4):769–774. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. McDermott M. R., O'Neill M. J., Bienenstock J. Selective localization of lymphoblasts prepared from guinea pig intestinal lamina propria. Cell Immunol. 1980 May;51(2):345–348. doi: 10.1016/0008-8749(80)90265-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. McWilliams M., Phillips-Quagliata J. M., Lamm M. E. Characteristics of mesenteric lymph node cells homing to gut-associated lymphoid tissue in syngeneic mice. J Immunol. 1975 Jul;115(1):54–58. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Ottaway C. A., Parrott D. M. Regional blood flow and the localization of lymphoblasts in the small intestine of the mouse. I. Examination of normal small intestine. Immunology. 1980 Dec;41(4):955–961. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Owen R. L., Jones A. L. Epithelial cell specialization within human Peyer's patches: an ultrastructural study of intestinal lymphoid follicles. Gastroenterology. 1974 Feb;66(2):189–203. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Owen R. L. Sequential uptake of horseradish peroxidase by lymphoid follicle epithelium of Peyer's patches in the normal unobstructed mouse intestine: an ultrastructural study. Gastroenterology. 1977 Mar;72(3):440–451. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Owens W. E., Berg R. D. Bacterial translocation from the gastrointestinal tract of athymic (nu/nu) mice. Infect Immun. 1980 Feb;27(2):461–467. doi: 10.1128/iai.27.2.461-467.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Pierce N. F., Cray W. C., Jr Determinants of the localization, magnitude, and duration of a specific mucosal IgA plasma cell response in enterically immunized rats. J Immunol. 1982 Mar;128(3):1311–1315. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Richman L. K., Graeff A. S., Strober W. Antigen presentation by macrophage-enriched cells from the mouse Peyer's patch. Cell Immunol. 1981 Jul 15;62(1):110–118. doi: 10.1016/0008-8749(81)90304-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Rácz P., Tenner-Rácz K., Myrvik Q. N., Fainter L. K. Functional architecture of bronchial associated lymphoid tissue and lymphoepithelium in pulmonary cell-mediated reactions in the rabbit. J Reticuloendothel Soc. 1977 Jul;22(1):59–83. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Smith M. W., Peacock M. A. "M" cell distribution in follicle-associated epithelium of mouse Peyer's patch. Am J Anat. 1980 Oct;159(2):167–175. doi: 10.1002/aja.1001590205. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Wilders M. M., Sminia T., Plesch B. E., Drexhage H. A., Weltevreden E. F., Meuwissen S. G. Large mononuclear Ia-positive veiled cells in Peyer's patches. II. Localization in rat Peyer's patches. Immunology. 1983 Mar;48(3):461–467. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES