[Regional characteristics of the structure and involutional changes in the axillary, cervical, iliac and mesenteric...

A morphometrical and cytological investigation of the lymph nodes has been performed including somatic (axillary), cavitary (mesenteric) and intermediate nodes that get their lymph both from the somatic and from the visceral organs--nodes of the neck and pelvis. Regional and individual peculiarities of the lymph nodes construction (degree of development compartmentalization of the cortical lymphatic substance, follicular density unit, architectonics and the trabecular apparatus maturation, sinus capacity) can be characterized within the limits of three morphofunctional types: compact, fragmented and focal. The human axillary lymph nodes (taking into account certain individual peculiarities) have their structural organization within the interval the compact--fragmented types. The structural organization of the mesenteric nodes corresponds to the interval the fragmented--focal types. The construction of the common iliac nodes individually varies within the interval the fragmented--focal types. The inferior deep cervical lymph nodes are mainly of the fragmented type. An essential part of the lymph nodes in a mature person has immuno-reactive or involutive changes. In the iliac and cervical nodes, hyperplasia of the lymphoid tissue, especially in the medullary cords, is observed more often than in the somatic and the cavitary nodes. Cellular composition of the human mesenteric and cervical lymph nodes is more variable than in the axillary and iliac nodes. Evidently, this reflects the fact that the former group gets a more antigen-saturated lymph than the axillary and iliac nodes.