Effect of stage of lactation on transport of colloidal carbon or Staphylococcus aureus from the mammary gland lumen to lymph nodes in guinea pigs.

Guinea pig mammary glands which were either lactating, involuting or dry were infused with colloidal carbon or killed staphylococci. At different time intervals following infusion, animals were killed and the superficial inguinal lymph nodes examined for the presence of carbon. Sides which had nodes with visible carbon were designated 'positive'. The time intervals from infusion to positive for the three groups were compared using logistic regression. The times required for 50% of the sides to be positive were estimated to be approximately 4 h for lactating glands, 32 h for those in involution, and 13 min for dry glands. Histological differences in distribution of carbon in the mammary tissue suggest that differences in transit time may have been due to different mechanisms of transport through the glands in the three different physiological states. The distribution of bacteria was similar to that of the carbon in the corresponding tissues.