[Age and the anatomy of lymph nodule groupings in the human appendix]

The appendices from 121 corpses of persons died at the age 1 day--83 years have been studied. Increase in number and size of the lymph nodules in the appendix wall takes place up to 16 years of age. At the same age there is a certain increase in arrangement density of the lymph nodules from the base of the organ towards its apex. In childhood and adolescent age, in histological sections, the grouped lymph nodules are often arranged in 2-3 layers. The form of the nodules in transversal sections of the appendix in children and adolescents is round, oval and piriform, and at mature age and especially in aged and old persons, most of the nodules are flattened and elongated in transversal direction. The germinative centers are present in most of the lymph nodules in children up to 16 years of age, their number is less in mature persons and they are absent in the nodules in aged and old persons.