Fibroblastic and dendritic reticulum cells of lymphoid tissue. Ultrastructural, histochemical, and 3H-thymidine labeling studies

Fibroblastic reticulum cells of different lymphoid organs were investigated to clarify their relationship to other stationary cells of the lymphoid tissue and to fibroblasts of the connective tissue. Fibroblastic reticulum cells have many ultrastructural characteristics of fibroblasts but differ from them in containing prominent bundles of microfilaments and in reacting strongly with antibodies to smooth muscle type myosin and actin. The fibroblastic reticulum cell may be thus classified as a myofibroblast. Enzyme-histochemical studies showed that fibroblastic reticulum cells contain a definite alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme. During ontogeny fibroblastic and dendritic reticulum cells are derived from the local mesenchyme and may be considered as primary stationary reticulum cells. During the formation of the follicle in the splenic white pulp in young rats fibroblastic and dendritic reticulum cells show a different turnover which speaks in favor of a proliferation of dendritic reticulum cells or their precursors in follicle formation.