Studies on Lymphocytes. XI. Differences in the Lymphocytopoietic Activity of Peripheral Lymphoid Organs

Abstract

A comparative study of the proliferative activity of lymphocytes in the Peyer's patches, mesenteric lymph node, prescapular lymph node and spleen was performed. The proliferative activity was assessed by determining the flash labeling index after a single iv injection of ³H-TdR. The mean flash-labeling index of the Peyer's patches was approximately 3 × greater than that of the mesenteric lymph node which in turn had a mean flash-labeling index approximately twice that of the prescapular lymph node and the spleen. These results suggest that under normal circumstances the magnitude of proliferative activity of peripheral lymphoid organ is related to the degree of antigenic stimulation.