Lymphoid tissues of the ileum in young horses: distribution, structure, and epithelium

Lymphoid tissues in the ileum of young horses form raised plaques that are macroscopically visible from the mucosal surface. These are termed "ileal lymphoid patches". These patches are variable in size, shape and position within the ileal wall, occasionally lying along the site of mesenteric attachment. Within lymphoid patches, follicles exist in three different morphological forms: follicle/dome structures, proprial follicles, and lymphoglandular complexes (LGCs). In follicle/dome structures, the majority of the follicle lies in the submucosa and merges with a dome in the lamina propria through a gap in the muscularis mucosae. In proprial follicles, the majority, or all, of the follicle is found in the lamina propria, and in LGCs, the follicles lie in the submucosa and communicate with the intestinal lumen via a central invagination of epithelium that extends vertically through a gap in the muscularis mucosae. Follicle-associated epithelium covers the follicle/dome structures and proprial follicles. It consists of enterocytes, cells morphologically resembling M cells, intraepithelial lymphocytes, goblet cells, and amine-precursor uptake and decarboxylation (APUD) cells. The epithelium of LGCs is mainly populated by immature enterocytes, intraepithelial lymphocytes and goblet cells. Cells with coarse, long microvilli are also present. Information regarding the presence of LGCs in the small intestine is scant, but LGCs have been well described in the large intestine of many species. Further investigation will be required to determine if factors exist that are common to both the ileum of the horse and the large intestine of other species to influence the development of LGCs at these specific sites.