Human Histology Midterms

IMMUNE SYSTEM AND LYMPHOID

ORGANS
Immune System

▪ Consists of a variety of cells

and lymphoid organs and tissues responsible for
immunity
▪ Immunity
o Ability to recognize self and non-self-
substances.
o Host defense

Types Of Immunity
▪ Non-specific immunity (Innate or Natural)
▪ Specific immunity (Adaptive)
o Humoral or antibody-mediated
o Cellular or cell-mediated
Antigens (Ag)
Cytokines
▪ Glycoproteins that act as molecular signals between
immune cells
▪ Produced primarily by T lymphocytes and also by
macrophages and other cells
▪ End product of cellular immunity

▪ Substances not recognized by immune system as self;

although there are the so-called self- antigens Immune Cells
(autoantigens)
▪ Lymphocytes
▪ Ability to stimulate an immune response.
o B and T lymphocytes
▪ Antigenic determinant à epitopes
▪ Granulocytes
Antibodies (Ab) o Neutrophils, Eosinophils, Basophils
▪ Monocytes and macrophages
▪ Immunoglobulins (Ig) ▪ Natural killer (NK) cells
▪ Proteins that specifically react with antigens
▪ Synthesized by plasma cells.
o Plasma cells are derived from proliferation of
Humoral Immune Response
B lymphocytes.
▪ End product of humoral immunity ▪ Governed by B lymphocytes
▪ When B lymphocytes are activated by antigens,
Antibody: Classes
proliferate to:
o Plasma cells
o Antibody production
o Memory B cells

Cellular Immune Response

▪ Governed by T lymphocytes.
▪ When T cells are activated by antigens, proliferate to
o T cells subsets or subpopulations: T helper,
T cytotoxic, T suppressor, T delayed
hypersensitivity cells
o Lymphokine or cytokine production
o Memory T cells
Human Histology Midterms
Lymphoid Tissues And Organs ▪ Parenchyma

General Functions ➢ Each lobule is made up of an outer darker region

called the cortex and an inner lighter portion
o Lymph filtration called the medulla
o Lymphocyte production ➢ Principal cellular components of thymus:
o Immunologic defense of the body o Lymphocytes (thymocytes)
General Structure o Epithelial cells of unusual
form (epithelial cells)
▪ Stroma o A moderate number of macrophages
➢ Supporting framework of the organ
➢ Capsule, trabeculae, septa, reticular Parenchyma: 6 types of epithelial cells
fibers. o Cortex

▪ Parenchyma ➢ type 1, type 2 and type 3 epithelial cells

➢ Cellular portion of the organ
o Cortico-medullary
➢ Consists mainly of lymphocytes, as
well as macrophages, plasma cells ➢ type 4 and type 5
and reticular cells
o Medulla

➢ type 6 epithelial cells are involved in the

Lymphatic Organs and Tissues formation of the Hassall’s corpuscles
▪ Thymus
▪ Lymph nodes
▪ Spleen ▪ Hassall’s corpuscles
▪ MALT (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues) ➢ Characteristic of the medulla of thymus
▪ GALT (gut-associated lymphoid tissues) ➢ Consist of concentric mass of squamous cells
o Tonsils which may contain kerato-hyaline granules
o Peyer’s patches (acidophilic or pinkish on H&E)
o Appendix

Thymus
Lymph Nodes
➢ Broad, flat, pyramid-shaped, bilobed
▪ Aggregates of lymphoid tissue occurring in series
organ, well encapsulated
along the course of lymphatic vessels
➢ Maximum weight at puberty: 20-50 gm
▪ Area of abundance
➢ Functions
o prevertebral region
o production of lymphocytes in embryonic life
o mesentery
o immunologic defense of the body
o loose CT of neck
o axilla
o inguinal region
Structure

▪ Stroma
➢ Capsule made up of loose Function
CT which have septa extending
• Filtration of lymph
inwards dividing the thymus lobules.
➢ Reticular cells serve as supporting cells for the • Immunologic defense of the body
parenchyma.
Human Histology Midterms
Structure Parenchyma: 2 parts

• Rounded or kidney-shaped organ (0.5 cm) with an ▪ White pulp

indentation or concavity (hilus) where blood and ➢ Forms the periarterial lymphoid
lymphatic vessels enter and leave the organ sheaths (PALS) around the arteries
(central artery).
o Stroma ➢ Sheaths contain germinal centers (B cells) and
o Parenchyma the internodular lymphocytes (T cells)

▪ Stroma ▪ Red pulp

➢ Capsule made up of dense CT covering with a
thickened portion at the hilus.
➢ Inward extensions called trabeculae.
➢ Cellular portions supported by a network of
reticular fibers and reticular cells.
▪ Parenchyma
❖ Cortex
➢ The outer darker staining portion
➢ Composed of dense masses of
classified as:
o primary lymphoid nodules
o secondary nodules or germinal
center (B lymphocytes)
o diffuse lymphoid tissue
occupying cortex and the inner or
deep cortex (T lymphocytes)
❖ Medulla
➢ Inner and paler portion
➢ Composed mainly of lymphocyte
arranged in strands to form medullary
cords.
Spleen
▪ Largest among the lymphoid organs
▪ Elongated, irregular shape, 150 gm.
▪ Located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen.
▪ Functions:
o Acts as blood filter
o Immunologic defense of the body
o Serves as blood reservoir.
➢ Consists of an elaborate network of tortuous,
branching, and anastomosing venous sinuses
➢ In between venous sinuses are the occupied by the
highly cellular splenic cords (pulp cords, Bilroth’s
cords)
o splenic cords consist of a spongy mass
of extravasated blood cells
➢ Supported by a framework of reticular fibers.
Mucosa associated Lymphoid Tissue (MALT)
o Tonsils
o Peyer’s patches
o Appendix
Tonsils
Accumulations of lymphoid tissues in the lamina
propria of the upper part of the digestive and respiratory
tracts.
Types
▪ Palatine tonsils
➢ A pair of large ovoid accumulations of lymphoid
tissue found at the boundary between the mouth
and oropharynx
➢ Lined by stratified squamous epithelium.
▪ Pharyngeal tonsil
➢ Unpaired lymphoid tissue found at the posterior
wall of the nasopharynx.
➢ Epithelium is pseudostratified ciliated columnar.
▪ Lingual tonsils
➢ Posterior surface of tongue
➢ Stratified squamous

▪ Stroma Peyer’s Patches

➢ Dense CT capsule with inward extensions called
trabeculae.
➢ Thickened at hilum where blood & lymphatic
vessels and nerves enter the organ.
➢ Reticular fiber network
Aggregates of lymphoid nodules found in the lamina propria of
the ileum; presence of M cells
Appendix
➢ Arise from the cecum.
➢ Aggregates of lymphoid nodules in the lamina
propria found throughout the circumference of the
lumen.