PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Peyer\'s patches (PPs), which contain an abundance of B and T cells, play a key role in inducing pivotal immune responses in the intestinal tract. PPs are defined as aggregated lymph follicles, which consist of multiple lymph follicles (LFs) that may interact with each other in a synergistic manner. LFs are thought to be spherical in shape; however, the characteristics of their structure are not fully understood. To elucidate changes in the structure of PPs as individuals grow, we generated serial 2D sections from entire PPs harvested from mice at 2, 4, and 10 weeks of age and performed a 3D analysis using a software, Amira. Although the number of LFs in PPs was not changed throughout the experiment, the volume and surface area of LFs increased significantly, indicating that LFs in PPs develop continuously by recruiting immune cells, even after weaning. In response to the dramatic changes in the intestinal environment after weaning, the development of germinal centers (GCs) in LFs was observed at 4 and 10 weeks (but not 2 weeks) of age. In addition, GCs gradually began to form away from the center of LFs and close to the muscle layer where export lymphatic vessels develop. Importantly, each LF was joined to the adjacent LF; this feature was observed even in preweaning nonactivated PPs. These results suggest that PPs may have a unique organization and structure that enhance immune functions, allowing cells in LFs to have free access to adjacent LFs and egress smoothly from PPs to the periphery upon stimulation after weaning.
摘要：
Peyer的补丁(PP),含有大量的B和T细胞，在诱导肠道关键免疫反应中起关键作用。PP被定义为聚集的淋巴滤泡，由多个淋巴滤泡（LFs）组成，这些淋巴滤泡可能以协同方式相互作用。LFs被认为是球形的；然而，他们的结构特征还没有完全理解。为了阐明PPs结构随着个体生长的变化，我们从2周龄、4周龄和10周龄的小鼠收获的整个PPs产生连续的2D切片，并使用软件进行3D分析，阿米拉.尽管在整个实验过程中，PP中LFs的数量没有变化，LFs的体积和表面积显著增加，表明PPs中的LFs通过招募免疫细胞不断发展，即使在断奶后。为了应对断奶后肠道环境的急剧变化，在4周龄和10周龄(但非2周龄)观察到LFs中生发中心(GC)的发育.此外,GCs逐渐开始形成远离LFs的中心，并靠近出口淋巴管发育的肌肉层。重要的是,每个LF连接到相邻的LF;即使在断奶前未激活的PPs中也观察到这一特征。这些结果表明，PPs可能具有增强免疫功能的独特组织和结构，允许LFs中的细胞自由进入相邻的LFs，并在断奶后刺激后从PPs平稳地离开到外周。
