Elmore Susan A
Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/NIH, 111 Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
Toxicol Pathol. 2006;34(5):634-47. doi: 10.1080/01926230600939997.
Routine histopathology of lymphoid organs is the cornerstone in the identification of immunotoxic and immunomodulatory compounds. Enhanced histopathology is a systematic approach that can be used to further characterize, both qualitatively and semi-quantitatively, the immunomodulatory effects that may occur within both primary and secondary lymphoid organs. The lymph nodes are the major route of entry for antigens and pathogens, via the afferent lymph flow, and they can be sensitive indicators of compounds with regional or systemic immunomodulatory/toxic effects and should therefore be included in the battery of lymphoid organs to evaluate for enhanced histopathology. As with all lymphoid organs, the separate compartments should be evaluated independently and descriptive rather than interpretive terminology should be used to characterize changes within those compartments. This data, in conjunction with gross findings, clinical pathology and changes in organ weight (i.e., thymus), will enable the pathologist to determine if a significant effect on the immune system is present. Moreover, this data may enable the pathologist to determine the critical site or compartment in the targeted tissue, provide some indication of target cell population (B or T cell) and characterize a dose-response relationship.
淋巴器官的常规组织病理学是鉴定免疫毒性和免疫调节化合物的基石。增强组织病理学是一种系统方法，可用于定性和半定量地进一步表征在初级和次级淋巴器官中可能发生的免疫调节作用。淋巴结是抗原和病原体通过输入淋巴流动进入的主要途径，它们可以是具有局部或全身免疫调节/毒性作用的化合物的敏感指标，因此应纳入一系列淋巴器官中以评估增强组织病理学。与所有淋巴器官一样，应独立评估各个隔室，并应使用描述性而非解释性术语来表征这些隔室内的变化。这些数据，结合大体检查结果、临床病理学和器官重量变化（即胸腺），将使病理学家能够确定是否对免疫系统存在显著影响。此外，这些数据可能使病理学家能够确定靶组织中的关键部位或隔室，提供一些关于靶细胞群体（B细胞或T细胞）的指示，并表征剂量反应关系。
