Studies on the rabbit appendix. I. Lymphocyte‐epithelial relations and the transport of bacteria from lumen to lymphoid nodule

A correlated light and electron microscope study was made of lymphocyte‐epithelial relations in the appendix of normal rabbits, ranging in age from one week to ten months. The lymphocyte migration into the epithelium was very slight at one week. The lymphocytes were increased considerably in number from two weeks to three months, grouping into unique nests in the epithelium. The basement membrane began to be penetrated by migrating cells at one week and bacame discontinuous in older animals. At one and two weeks, the epithelial cells contained glycogen, which disappeared at three weeks. Degenerating cells as well as bacilli were found in the epithelial cells and in the macrophages of the nodules. The varied appearance of bacilli in the macrophages indicates that they were being digested. The lymphocytes in the epithelium were larger, having less crowded cytoplasm as compared with those in the lymph nodules. Many lymphocytes were in deep folds of epithelial cells. There was evidence favoring an intracellular position for some lymphocytes in the epithelium.