Porosity of the basement membrane overlying Peyer's patches in rats and monkeys.

The porosity of the epithelial basement membrane (basal lamina) overlying lymphoid follicles within Peyer's patches was studied in rats and monkeys by scanning electron microscopy. Basement membranes of lymphoid follicles are markedly porous, more conspicuously so than those of adjacent villus cores. The porosity increases centrifugally from the apex of the follicle to its periphery, where the basement membrane continues into the cul-de-sacs of the crypts. Such porosity may facilitate bidirectional passage of lymphocytes during an immune response. The unique structure of the basement membrane overlying lymphoid follicles suggests a biologic adaptation of this tissue boundary to a specific physiologic activity of the organism.