Abstract
The defensive strategy for the mammalian immune system is based on specialized secondary lymphoid organs, such as lymph nodes. These specialized organs produce mature effector cells that must be delivered to the peripheral sites of antigen challenge. The delivery of lymphocytes from the lymph node to the antigen-stimulated tissue involves multiple steps. The antigen-stimulated lymph node releases large numbers of cells into the efferent lymph in a reproducible pattern of lymphocyte output. The efferent lymph cells migrate through the thoracic duct into the blood circulation. Once in the peripheral blood, the microcirculation delivers a proportion of these cells to the antigen-stimulated tissue. The rheology and composition of the blood facilitate lymphocyte margination and subsequent transendothelial migration. Lymphocyte selection, during the journey from the lymph node to the tissue, plays a significant role in the regulation of immune reactivity.
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