[Free cells of the connective tissue in pathological proliferation of the epithelium and in tumor growth].

The article presents a review of literature data and the authors' own investigations dealing with the dynamics of accumulation and distribution of free cells of the connective tissue in various forms of pathological proliferation of the epithelium (inflammatory overgrowth, disharmonal hyperplasia, tumours). Despite the availability of numerous data on morphological characteristics and functional significance of free cells, there are no reliable data on regularities of accumulation and distribution of individual cellular forms depending upon the character of a pathological process, its localization and extent of changes in the parenchymatous elements of the organ. But implementation of a local immunological control and maintenance of structural homeostasis should be linked first of all with reactions of free cells of the stroma. Elucidation of the role of cellular reactions in the stroma of tumour formations is of importance for prognostic evaluation of a possible progression. The authors showed that in experimental reproduction of disharmonal hyperplasia and tumours of the uterus and mammary gland there was a correlation between accumulation and distribution of eosinophilic leucocytes and plasmatic cells and the extent of changes in the epithelium. The presence of the cells of the immunocompetent series may be considered as an evidence of immunological reactions occurring as a responce to changes in antigenic properties of the epithelium in the course of malignization. The authors believe that knowledge of conjugated reactions of the stroma and epithelium in inflammatory, hormonal, and tumour growth may contribute to better understanding of the mechanisms of correlation of tissues in the course of a proliferative process and to ascertaining the causes of impairment of this correlation.