[Immunomorphologic characteristics of the tonsils and their lymph nodes in human fetuses]

This study was carried out having in view our inadequate knowledge of immunological parameters of human normal tonsils. The purpose of the study was to investigate the development of basic morphological and immunological parameters of organs constituting the functional complex, i. e. palatine, pharyngeal, lingual tonsils and neck lymph nodes that drain them, in human fetuses. Altogether 50 palatine, 31 pharyngeal, 16 lingual tonsils and neck lymph nodes of human fetuses (14 to 32 weeks) were examined. The development and morphology of tonsils as well as the time of lymphocyte settlement were investigated. The pattern of lymphocyte differentiation was studied immunologically. In terms of expression of surface markers, the heterogeneity of T- and B-cell immunity systems and their kinetics in the course of embryogenesis typical of each organ under study were identified. In the complex of organs combined by immune functions, neck lymph nodes can be identified as the pool of T-cells the amount of which makes the total number of the cells in all tonsils. As to B-cells, tonsils contained predominantly EAC-RFC. When compared to tonsils, lymph nodes contained the least quantities of B-lymphocytes.