Functional morphology of the lymphatic system in the monkey diaphragm

A morphological study of the lymphatic system in the diaphragm of adult Japanese monkeys was carried out using intraperitoneal injection with India ink, light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. For SEM examination of the subperitoneal connective tissue, the peritoneal mesothelium was stripped by either the NaOH/sonication microdissection techniques or the NaOH digestion method. Light microscopy of 1 micron Epon sections and TEM of thin sections demonstrated that lymphatic capillaries were distributed in the subperitoneal connective tissue of the muscular and tendinous portions. Gaps (stomata) between neighboring cells of the peritoneal mesothelium were occasionally encountered. In SEM observations, stomata with oval shapes and various sizes were abundantly seen in the peritoneal mesothelium, but were absent from the pleural mesothelium. It deserves particular note that a large number of foramina were detected in the subperitoneal connective tissue. The cluster of the foramina was similar in appearance to the "macula cribriformis" depicted by KIHARA (1956). Carbon particles injected into the monkey peritoneal cavity passed through the peritoneal stomata and then the macula cribriformis, ultimately to enter the lymphatic capillaries. This paper also discusses the functional implication of the lymphatic system in the diaphragm.