LYMPH NODES
 Trabeculae of DCT extends radially into interior node
 Encapsulated centres of
o antigen presentation and
o lymphocyte activation, differentiation and
proliferation
 Generate mature, antigen-primed,
o B and T cells
 Filter particles including microbes
o By action of phagocytic macrophages
 Normal young adult body
o Contains up to 450 lymph nodes
o 60 – 70 are found in head and neck
o 100 in thorax
o 250 in abdomen and pelvis
 Particularly numerous in
o Neck
o Mediastinum
o Posterior abdominal wall
o Abdominal mesenteries
o Pelvis and
o Proximal regions of limbs (axillary and
inguinal lymph nodes)
 The greatest number lie close to viscera
o Especially in mesenteries
MICROSTRUCTURE
Lymph nodes
 Small, oval or kidney-shaped bodies
 0.1 – 2.5 cm long
 Lying along the course of lymphatic vessels
 Each has slight indentation on one side
o The hilum
o Which blood vessels enter and leave and
efferent lymphatic vessel leaves
 Have highly cellular cortex and medulla which
contains a network of minute lymphatic channels
 Cortex is absent at hilum, where medulla reaches the
surface
 Capsule is composed mainly of
o Collagen fibers
o Elastin fibers (deeper layers)
o Few fibroblasts
from the capsule
o A network of type III collagen fibrils
o Supports the lymphoid tissue
 Fine reticulin bundles branch and interconnect to
form dense network of cortex
o Provide attachment for various cells mostly
dendritic, macrophages and lymphocytes
LYMPHATIC AND VASCULAR SUPPLY
 Lymph nodes
o Permeated by channels which lymph
percolate
 Macrophages line these channels so the lymph is
expose to the phagocytic activities
 Lymphatic vessels enter on periphery  forming
intracapsular plexus  into subcapsular sinus 
coalesce in medulla  forming larger medullary
sinuses  confluent to hilum with efferent vessels 
drains the node
 Arteries and veins supplying the lymph nodes
o Pass through hilum
o Traverse the medulla
 In cortex
o Arteries form arcades of arterioles and
capillaries in anastomosing loops
 Post capillary High endothelial venule (HEV)
o Abundant in paracortical zones
o Important site of blood-borne lymphocyte
extravasation into lymphoid tissue
 By migration through labile
endothelial tight junctions
 Density of capillary beds
o Increases in response to antigen stimulation
CELLS AND CELLULAR ZONES OF LYMPH NODES
 Most of the cells in a lymph node are B and T
lymphocytes
o But distributions are not homogeneous
 In cortex
o Cells are densely packed
 Outer cortical area
o Form lymphoid follicles or nodules
o Populated mainly by B cells and specialized
FDC (follicular dendritic cells)
 Primary follicle
o Populated by small, quiescent lymphocytes
 Secondary follicle
o Has germinal centre
o Composed mainly of antigen-stimulated B
cells (larger, more rapidly dividing)
 o Produced as surrounding cells are
marginalized by rapidly growing germinal
centre
o Populated mainly by quiescent B cells, few
helper T cells, FDCs and macrophages
o Some B cells give rise to small lymphocytes
and some become memory B cells and leave
the lymph node, others mature as antibody-
secreting plasma cells
 Deep cortex or paracortex
o Lies between cortical follicles and medulla
o Populated mainly by T cells
 Not organized by follicles
o CD4 and CD8 T cell subsets are present
o Also contains interdigitating dendritic cells
 Originate from Langerhans cells in
the skin that have migrated as
veiled cells via afferent lymphatics

 Role of germinal centre

o Provide microenvironment which allows
affinity maturation of B cell response
o As the immune response progresses the
affinity or strength with which antibodies
bind their antigen also increases
 Several zones in Germinal Centre
o Dark zone
 B cells (centroblasts) undergo rapid
proliferation
 Associated with hypermutation of
 Role of interdigitating dendritic cells
their antibody molecules
o Present processed antigen to T cells
o Light zone (centrocytes)
 They can interact with FDCs which
In medulla
carries intact unprocessed antigen
o Lymphocytes are less densely packed
on their surface
o Macrophages more numerous
 Centrocytes compete for binding to antigen
o Those antibody has the highest affinity MUCOSA-ASSOCIATED LYMPHOID TISSUE (MALT)
survive and the rest dies  Large amounts of unencapsulated lymphoid tissue
exist in walls of alimentary, respiratory, reproductive
 Mantle zone and urinary tracts and in the skin
 Main subclasses
o GALT (gut associated lymphoid tissue)
 o BALT (bronchus-associated lymphoid
tissue)
 Located in lamina propria and in submucosa as
discrete follicles or nodules
 More scattered cells, derived from these follicles, are
found throughout the lamina propria and in the base
of the epithelium
LYMPH NODES (Junquiera)
 Bean-shaped, encapsulated structures
 10 mm x 2.5 cm in size
 distributed throughout the body along lymphatic
vessels
 Total of 400 – 450 lymph nodes are present
 Most abundant in
o Axillae (armpits) and groin
o Along major vessels of neck
o Thorax and abdomen (mesenteries)
 Constitute a series of in-line filters of lymph that
defend against spread of microorganisms and tumor
cells
o Also facilitate production of plasma cells
secreting non-IgA antibodies
 All lymph is filtered and has antibodies added by
lymph node before merging with bloodstream
 Has convex surface where afferent lymphatics enter
o Concave depression (hilum) where efferent
lymphatic leaves
 Artery, vein and nerve penetrate the
organ

 MALT includes macroscopically visible lymphoid

masses
o peripharyngeal lymphoid (Waldeyer’s) ring
of tonsillar tissue (palatine, nasopharyngeal,
tubal and lingual)
o Peyer’s patches of the small intestine
 Most MALT
o consists of microscopic aggregates of
lymphoid tissue
o Lack fibrous capsule
o supported mechanically by a fi ne network
of type III collagen fibers

 Same with Lymph nodes

o MALT provides centres for the activation
and proliferation of B and T lymphocytes
 Close proximity of lymphocytes within MALT to an
epithelial surface
o facilitates their access to pathogens
 Lymphocyte population in MALT is not fixed
 Lymphocytes migrate into MALT through its HEV
 Lack afferent lymphatic vessels
 Migration from MALT follows a different route from
the major peripheral route of recirculation
 Lymphocytes travel via regional lymph nodes to
disperse widely along mucosal surfaces to provide
protective T- and B-cell immunity

 Main function of B lymphocytes in MALT

o Produce IgA for secretion into lumen
o Exposed to antigens present in lumen
because samples transfer these antigens to
APCs in underlying tissues
  DCT capsule surrounds lymph node  CORTICAL SINUSES branch internally
and extending the trabeculae internally among lymphoid nodules
 Valve in lymphatics  lined by very thin discontinuous
o Ensures flow endothelium
is 2. Lymphoid nodules
 fill most cortical areas
 formed by helper T lymphocytes and
proliferating B lymphoblasts
 each nodule is organized around
long, interdigitating processes of FDCs

unidrirectional
 MOST ABUNDANT CELLS of lymph
nodes
o Lymphocytes of all types
o Plasma cells
o Dendritic cells
o Macrophages
o Other APCs
 FDCs are present w/in lymphoid nodules
o Arranged in a stroma of reticulin fibers and
reticular cells forming 3 major regions:
 Cortex
 Central medulla
 Paracortex

 Paracortex
o Distinguished from outer cortex by its lack
of B-cell lymphoid nodules
o Contains lymphoid tissue rich T cells
 High endothelial venules (HEV)
o Specialized postcapillary venules in
paracortex
Cortex include following components: o An important entry point for most (90%)
1. Subcapsular sinus lymphocytes into lymph nodes
 immediately inside the capsule o Have an unusual endothelial lining of
 receives lymph from afferent lymphatics cuboidal cells whose apical surface
facilitates rapid diapedesis of lymphocytes
from blood into paracortex

 Medulla has 2 major components

o Medullary cords
 Cordlike masses of lymphoid tissue
extending from paracortex
 Contain T and B lymphocytes and
many plasma cells
o Medullary sinuses
 Dilated spaces lined by
discontinuous endothelium that
separates medullary cords
  Medullary sinuses
o Represents final lymph filter
o Contains many macrophages and sometime
neutrophils (in infected region)
MEDICAL APPLICATION
Metastatic cancer cells
 From detachment of primary tumor can enter
lymphatics and are carried to nearby lymph nodes
 Sentinel lymph node
o The first one downstream of region with
tumor
 Cells may continue to grow as secondary tumor
within lymph nodes
 Presence of metastatic cells in lymph nodes is a key
determinant in most staging system
ROLE OF LYMPH NODES IN THE IMMUNE RESPONSE
 Lymph arrives in lymph node contains antigen free in
solution or bound to antibodies or complement on
microorganism or already internalized by APCs
 Antigens not yet phagocytosed
o Internalize by APCs in lymph nodes
o Presented on MHC class II molecules
 Circulating B and T lymphocytes move from node to
node
o Entering via lymph or HEVs
o B cells contact antigen on FDC and T cells
sample antigens presented on dendritic cells
and other APCs
 Lymphocytes whose receptors recognize such
antigens will be activated
 B cells proliferate rapidly in germinal centers
o With help of Th cells
 Enlarging the entire lymph nodes
 Newly made B cells
o Now activated against a specific antigen
o Differentiate as plasma cells and move to
medulla or to downstream sites beyond
lymph node
  B and T memory cells also move elsewhere in the
body
o Providing long-lived protection and
proliferating more rapidly upon subsequent
exposure

MEDICAL APPLICATION