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Updated: Dec 25, 2025

Isolation of Tonsillar Mononuclear Cells to Study Ex Vivo Innate Immune Responses in a Human Mucosal Lymphoid Tissue
Published on: June 14, 2020
Cellular senescence in recurrent tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy in children
Shan Chen1, Wen-Wen Wang1, Yan Wang1
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China.
Objective:
To observe the difference in cellular senescence patterns between recurrent tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy.
Methods And Materials:
Forty-three patients diagnosed with recurrent tonsillitis or tonsillar hypertrophy, based on medical history and symptoms, underwent tonsillectomy. The specimens were collected and examined using senescence β-galactosidase staining for cellular senescence. Macrophages were detected by immunochemistry.
Results:
Cellular senescence was found in both recurrent tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy groups. The comparison of cellular senescence in microcompartments of tonsil tissue (germinal centre, mantle zone, subepithelial and intraepithelial) revealed a significant increase of senescent cells in germinal centres in tonsillar hypertrophy compared with that in tonsillar hypertrophy. The majority of senescent cells in both groups were CD68-positive.
Conclusions:
Different cellular senescence patterns were found between the two studied paediatric tonsillar diseases. Macrophage senescence may play a role in the pathogenesis of these diseases.
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