Characterization of Immunoglobulin-Containing Cells in the Submandibular Gland of the Rat after Local Immunization

Abstract

The large lymphocytes which enter the blood via the thoracic duct lymph have been shown to migrate selectively into the lamina propria of the small intestine (1). These cells are presumably derived from the Peyer’s patches and components of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) (2). Recent reports have suggested that cells derived from the GALT may also “home” to other secretory tissues including the mammary (3) and salivary glands (4), It has been demonstrated that lymphocytes, in response to antigens, are recruited from the blood into the local lymph node and during this phase both antibody and nonantibody-secreting precursor cells are recruited into the node (5). Similarly, after migration of IgA precursor cells to the local secretory tissue, differentiation into IgA-synthesizing cells may occur upon contact with antigen. However, quantitative information on the induction of antibody synthesis at the cellular level in exocrine tissues (e.g., salivary glands) is sparse and is usually obtained from examination of fixed tissue sections (6). We have begun a series of studies into aspects of the secretory immune responses in the oral cavity by developing a method for isolation of mononuclear cells from the submandibular gland (SMG) of the rat.