Erythrophagocytosis of the lymph node macrophages caused by autotransplantation of the splenic tissue into the lymph nodes of rat.

The rat splenic tissue, autotransplanted into the mesenteric lymph node, regenerated about three months. The recipient lymph node became reddish because of the increase of erythrocytes in the lymphatic sinuses and medullary cords. The macrophages in the lymphatic sinus showed an active erythrophagocytosis. In electron microscopy, these macrophages contained the graded degradation of erythrocytes and closely contacted with lymphocytes. These observations represent the splenic autotransplants in the lymph node changes the recipient lymph node into the hemolymph node, and the lymph node macrophages do not recognize the self-erythrocytes as self-ones.