Migration of macrophages from the marginal zone to germinal centers in the spleen of mice.

Histological observations of the mouse spleen were carried out at different times after intravenous carbon injection. Large carbon-laden macrophages appeared in great numbers in the marginal zone soon after injection. They came together favorably around the germinal centers. Possible migration of these cells toward the germinal centers diffusely from the periphery of the white pulp or through the periarterial lymphoid sheath was suggested. These macrophages entered the germinal centers on a large scale and clustered for a long period--at least 180 days. Since the same type of macrophages were observed persistently in the marginal zone, it was thought that some of them might arise from the blood stream. Possible migration of these cells from the marginal zone toward the germinal centers was also persistently observed. A second type of much smaller carbon-laden macrophages was seen in the white pulp. However, they never showed any favorable localization in the germinal centers as did large carbon-laden macrophages.