Lymphatic Tissue - Downing Flashcards
What are the two central (primary) locations of lymphatic tissue?
- Bone marrow - source of B-cells
- Thymus - source of T-cells
central = where lymphocytes originate
What are the peripheral (secondary) locations of lymphatic tissue?
- Mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue (MALT) or nodular non-encapsulated lymphatic tissue
- lymphatic nodues, tonsils, Peyer’s patches, appendix, respiratory system
- Lymph nodes
- Spleen
peripheral = where lymphocytes respond to antigens
Lymphatic tissue is populated mostly with what kind of lymphocytes?
- Small lymphocytes
- B-cells
- T-cells
What constitute the large lymphocytes in lymphatic tissue?
- Activated lymphocytes
- NK (natural killer) lymphocytes
What are the functions of lymphatic tissue?
- Lymphocyte production
- Immune responses: small lymphocytes
- recirculate between blood & lymph
- immunocompetent cells - capable of responding to antigen
- B-cells: differentiate into plasma cells (and produce humoral antibodies) or remain as memory cells
- T-cells: cell-mediated immune responses or remain in tissues as memory cells
What are the cellular components (4) of lymphoid tissue stroma?
- Reticular cells
- fibroblast-like, produce reticular fibers (Type III collagen)
- Macrophages (APCs)
- process and present antigens
- phagocytosis of foreign particulate matter
- Dendritic cells
- very efficient APCs (professionals)
- Follicular dendritic cells
- bind antibody-antigen complexes on surface of processes
- do not process/endocytose antigen
- not APC
How do lymphocytes respond to antigen exposure?
Enlargement & Proliferation
What are the two classifications of non-encapsulated tissue that are based on gross histological arrangement?
- Diffuse lymphatic tissue
- loose
- dense
- GI tract, respiratory tract, & others
- Nodular lymphatic tissue
- solitary lymphatic nodules (follicles)
- represent local immune responses to antigens
- GI, respiratory, urinary tract, & others
What is a primary lymphatic nodule?
- Dark staining spherical ball of lymphocytes
What is a secondary lymphatic nodule?
- Contains a reaction (germinal) center
- Antigen dependent (antigen insult required)
- Cells include:
- Large and medium sized mitotic lymphocytes (primarily B-cells, lymphoblasts)
- Small lymphocytes (both B- & T-cells)
- Macrophages (APCs)
- Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs)
- Developing plasma cells (periphery of germinal center
When do secondary lymphatic nodules appear, occur, and decline?
- Do not appear until after birth
- Disappear in absence of antigen, and reappear with re-exposure to antigen
- Numerous during childhood, but decline in number with age
Where do lymphatic nodules (follicles) occur in the body?
- Solitary (isolated)
- Lymph nodes
- Spleen
- NOT IN THE THYMUS
- if present → pathological condition
What are three examples of nodular non-encapsulated lymphatic tissue?
- Tonsils
- Palatine (on each side of uvula)
- Lingual (behind tongue)
- Pharyngeal and tubal tonsils (nasopharynx)
- Peyer’s patches (ileum of small intestine)
- Appendix
What are the three functions of non-encapsulated lymphatic tissues?
- Trapping/processing of antigen
- Lymphocyte production in response to antigen (B-cell proliferation)
- Destruction of antigen
What are the three encapsulated lymphatic tissues discussed in class?
- Lymph Node
- Thymus
- Spleen
What is the only lymphatic organ located in course of lymphatic vessels, the only lymphatic organ that has lymphatic sinuses, and the only lymphatic organ that filters lymph?
Lymph Node
What are the four main morphological features of a lymph node?
- Capsule
- Trabeculae
- Stroma (with cells & fibers)
- Endothelial cells lining sinusoids
What are the two major divisions of a lymph node?
- Cortex
- superficial
- mid-cortex (germinal centers)
- deep cortex (paracortex)
- Medulla
- medullary cords
- medullary sinuses
Describe the lymph flow through a lymph node.
(hint: 6 steps)
- Afferent lymphatic vessels
- Subcapsular (marginal) sinus
- Trabecular (peritrabecular) sinus
- Paracortical (subcortical) sinus
- Medullary sinus
- Efferent lymphatic vessel
Describe the blood flow through a lymph node.
(hint: 5 steps)
- Arterial vessels (hilum)
- Trabecular vessels
- Arterioles & capillaries
- Post-capillary venules (outer cortex: superficial/mid & deep: paracortex/HEV’s)
- Venous vessels (hilum)