Ultrastructural and immunohistochemical studies on the ontogenic development of bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) in the rat: special reference to follicular dendritic cells

The ontogenic development of lymphoid and non-lymphoid cells in bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) of the rat was studied ultrastructurally and immunohistochemically. In the late foetal period, only the alveolar macrophages showed a weak positivity for leucocyte common antigen, but no immune region associated (Ia) antigen was detected by monoclonal antibody, MAS 043. Mast cells were present. At 6 days of age, Ia-positive cells were observed in the alveolar wall and peribronchial interstitial tissue, and ultrastructurally there was an aggregation of the fibroblastoid mesenchymal cells. By 10 days of age, the aggregation of lymphoid cells together with S-100-positive reticulum cells had formed a BALT-like periarterial lymphoid sheath. In the adult animals, an obvious B-cell area was present in the central part and subepithelium of BALT, whilst in this area, S-100-positive, strongly Ia-positive cells with a dendritic form were observed. These dendritic cells appeared to be identical to the follicular dendritic cells (FDC) seen in the secondary follicles of lymphoid organs. Those cells may be derived from the fibroblastic reticulum cells, and may function to present antigen to lymphocytes.