摘要：

Although tingible body macrophages (TBM) have been recognized in germinal centers for over 100 years, their role in the germinal center response is not clear. In this study, the kinetics of the TBM response was quantitatively assessed and correlated with the kinetics of germinal center development in young mice. The TBM response in old mice (which have an age-related depression of germinal center development; Szakal et al., 1990) was analyzed for comparison. Young and old immune mice were challenged with human serum albumin and 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 days later the popliteal and axillary lymph nodes were evaluated. Germinal centers were localized histochemically in alternate serial sections using horseradish peroxidase conjugated peanut agglutinin. TBM numbers were determined per germinal center on adjacent sections by the presence of tingible bodies or histochemically by using the monoclonal antibody Mac-2. Analysis of lymph nodes from young mice showed that TBM numbers decreased w

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