THE LYMPHOCYTE CONTENT OF THE BONE MARROW IN THYMECTOMIZED-LYMPHADENECTOMIZED RATS

Abstract

Quantitative bone marrow investigations in 11 young albino rats 60 days after a combined removal of the thymus and of about 70% of the total amount of lymph nodes are presented. The lymphocyte content of the bone marrow and the cell content in the other main cell groups did not differ significantly from the values in 17 control-operated rats, and the frequency of mitoses in lymph nodes left in situ and in Peyer''s patches was not increased. The results suggest that the bone marrow is, to a considerable extent, independent of a supply of lymphocytes from the thymus as well as from the lymph nodes.