Histology of Hemopoiesis and

Limfoid Organs
dr. Ira Cinta Lestari, M.Sc
Histology Dept.
Medical Faculty
Univesitas Islam Sumatera Utara
Blood
Blood Smeer
Erythrocyte
Sickle cell erythrocyte
Leukocytes
HEMOPOIESIS
BONE MARROW
1. Blood-forming red bone marrow, whose color is produced by an abundance of
blood and hemopoietic cells.
2. Yellow bone marrow, which is filled with adipocytes and essentially excludes
hemopoietic cells.

• In the newborn, all bone marrow is red and active in blood cell production, but as
the child grows most of the marrow changes gradually to the yellow variety.
• Severe bleeding or hypoxia  yellow marrow reverts to red marrow
Red Bone Marrow
Red bone marrow is composed of :

1. Stroma meshwork of specialized fibroblastic

cells called reticular or adventitial cells and a
delicate web of reticular fibers supporting
hemopoietic cells and macrophages

2. Hemopoietic cords or islands of cells

3. Sinusoidal capillaries

4. Matrix  contains collagen type I,

proteoglycans, fibronectin, and laminin, the latter
glycoproteins interacting with integrins to bind
cells to the matrix.
Sinusoidal endothelium in active marrow
Erythrocyte
maturation

Note :

Reticulocyte still has a small number

of polyribosomes  stained with
brilliant cresyl blue dye

Reticulocytes pass to the

circulation, where they may
constitute 1% of the red blood cells,
lose the polyribosomes and quickly
mature as erythrocytes
Erythropoiesis : Major erythrocyte precursors

basophilic polychromatophilic orthochromatophilic

proerythro-blast reticulocytes
erythroblast erythroblasts erythroblast
MATURATION OF GRANULOCYTES
Granulopoiesis : Formation of granules
Developing erythrocytes and granulocytes in marrow
Granulopoiesis : Major granulocyte precursors
Myeloblast (MB)
Promyelocyte (1)
Myelocytes (2)
Late myelocyte (3)
Metamyelocytes (4)
Stab or band cells (5)
Nearly mature segmented neutrophil (6)

Eosinophilic myelocytes (EM)

Eosinophilic metamytelocytes (EMm)
MATURATION OF AGRANULOCYTES
• Study of the precursor cells of monocytes and lymphocytes is difficult, because
these cells do not show specific cytoplasmic granules or nuclear lobulation, both
of which facilitate the distinction between young and mature forms of
granulocytes.
• Monocytes and lymphocytes in smear preparations are discriminated mainly on
the basis of size, chromatin structure, and the presence of nucleoli.
 ORIGIN OF PLATELETS
Platelets originate in the red bone marrow by dissociating from mature megakaryocytes
Megakaryoblasts
25–50 µm in diameter, fairly rare
cells in bone marrow, very
basophilic cytoplasm, numerous
small nucleoli
Megakaryoblasts endomitosis Megakaryocyte
35–150 m in diameter,
DNA replication without
irregularly lobulated polyploid
intervening cell divisions
nuclei, coarse chromatin, no
visible nucleoli
The lymphoid
organs
The lymphatic system is comprised of lymphatic vessels,
which transport interstitial fluid (lymph) back to the blood
circulation

The lymphoid organs  house lymphocytes and other cells

of the body's immune defense system.

Primary lymphoid organs bone marrow and thymus

where B and T lymphocytes are formed respectively.

The secondary lymphoid organs lymph nodes, mucosa-

associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), and spleen.
CELLS OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
The primary cells that participate in the immune response are lymphocytes, plasma cells,
mast cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, and cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system.

Antigen-presenting cells, a group of diverse cell types, assist other cells in the immune
response. This group includes, among other cells, lymphocytes, macrophages, and
dendritic cells.
Lymphocytes
Lymphoid Tissue
Lymphoid tissue is connective tissue characterized by a rich supply of lymphocytes

Reticular fibers (collagen type III) supports the Fibroblast-like reticular cells (R), trabeculae
cells of most lymphoid tissues and organs (T), macrophages (M), many lymphocytes
(except the thymus).
Thymus
The thymus is a bilateral organ located in the mediastinum; it attains its peak development during youth.
The thymus is a primary lymphoid organ because T lymphocytes form there.

Connective tissue (CT)

Cortex (C)  basophilic lymphocytes are

fairly dense

Medulla (M)  fewer lymphocytes,

scattered presence of distinct thymic
corpuscles (arrow)
Cortex of the thymus
The thymic cortex is composed of an extensive population of T lymphoblasts (also called thymocytes)
and macrophages in a stroma of epithelial reticular cells. The epithelial reticular cells also secrete
polypeptide factors that promote T cell maturation
Medulla of the thymus
The thymic medulla also contains a cytoreticulum
of epithelial reticular cells, many less densely
packed differentiated T lymphocytes, and
structures called thymic (Hassall's) corpuscles,
which are characteristic of this region

Thymic corpuscles consist of epithelial reticular

cells arranged concentrically, filled with keratin
filaments, and sometimes calcified.
Adult thymus
Adult Thymus Young Thymus

VS

Cortex and medulla regions are difficult to distinguish within the connective tissue (CT) capsule and only
remnants of lymphoid tissue (L) remain, surrounded by much adipose tissue (A).
MUCOSA-ASSOCIATED LYMPHOIDTISSUE (MALT)
• Tonsils
• Peyer patches in the ileum
• Appendix

Collectively the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) is one of the largest

lymphoid organs, containing up to 70% of all the body's immune cells.
Tonsil
Tonsils are partially encapsulated lymphoid tissue lying beneath and in contact with the epithelium
of the oral cavity and pharynx.
Palatine tonsils

According to their location :

palatine, pharyngeal, or lingual
tonsils lymphoid nodules (LN)
stratified squamous
germinal centers (GC)
epithelium (E)
Peyer patch
large clusters of lymphoid follicles in the ileum of the small intestine

lymphoid nodules (N)

germinal centers (arrow)
Lymph node
• Lymph nodes are bean-shaped, encapsulated structures, generally 2–10 mm in
diameter, distributed throughout the body along the course of the lymphatic
vessels
• The nodes are found in the axillae (armpits) and groin, along the great vessels of
the neck, and in large numbers in the thorax and abdomen, especially in
mesenteries.
• Lymph nodes constitute a series of in-line filters that are important in the body's
defense against microorganisms and the spread of tumor cells.
Lymph node

cortex

paracortex

medulla
Lymph node cortex

capsule (C)
subcapsular sinuses (S)
lymphoid nodules (N)
Lymph node medulla

Medullary sinuses (MS)

Medullary cords (MC)
Lymphocytes
Plasma cells (arrows)
Spleen
• The spleen is the largest single accumulation of lymphoid tissue in the body and
the only one involved in filtration of blood, making it an important organ in
defense against blood-borne antigens.
• It is also the main site of destruction of aged erythrocytes.
• As is true of other secondary lymphoid organs, the spleen is a production site of
antibodies and activated lymphocytes, which are delivered to the blood.
• Any inert particles in blood are actively phagocytosed by spleen macrophages.
Spleen
capsule (C)
trabeculae (T)

Splenic Pulp :

Red pulp (R)  occupies most of the parenchyma,

filled with blood cells of all types, located both in
cords and sinuses

White pulp (W)  restricted to smaller areas,

mainly around the central arterioles, is a lymphoid
tissue.
Blood flow in the spleen
White pulp of the spleen
A large nodule with a germinal center forms in the PALS
periarteriolar lymphoid sheath (PALS)
Red pulp of the spleen

• Splenic venous sinuses

• Splenic cords
• Endothelial cell or Stave cell  large nuclei, bulging into the
sinusoidal lumens, allow selection of healthy red blood cells in
the splenic cord
References