Distribution of radiolabelled lymph cells in lymph nodes and the migratory properties of blood lymphocytes in sheep.

Abstract

The results found in this study supported the concept of lymphocyte populations with preferential migratory pathways. Preferential localization of lymphocytes in lymph nodes could not explain the non-random lymphocyte migration patterns observed in sheep. The migration of lymphocytes isolated from the blood was similar to that of lymphocytes in the efferent lymph of a subcutaneous lymph node, but was different from the migration of lymphocytes isolated from efferent intestinal lymph. The subcutaneous lymph node did not need to be selective for lymphocytes which entered from blood. However, there must be a selective entry of a population of lymphocytes with preference for migrating through mesenteric lymph nodes into efferent intestinal lymph in order to observe the differential lymphocyte migration patterns exhibited by the lymphocytes in the efferent intestinal lymph of sheep.