Blau J N, Jones R N, Kennedy L A
Immunology. 1968 Oct;15(4):561-70.
Areas occupied by Hassall's corpuscles were measured by planimetry of histological sections of guinea-pigs' thymus glands that had been involuted by one of three methods: (1) local X-irradiation of the thymus, or (2) restriction of food intake, or (3) systemic injections of cortisone. The corpuscular area increased two- to three-fold compared with control glands and this increase occurred before lobules began to shrink. Hassall's corpuscles hypertrophy simultaneously with diminution in width of the cortex, i.e. with lysis of thymocytes. Hence, it is argued that the area taken up by the corpuscles provides a measure of thymocyte destruction during involution. Moreover, since the corpuscles are markedly diminished during reconstitution, 3–4 weeks after X-irradiation, their size is a further reflection of cellular turnover in the thymus.
通过对豚鼠胸腺组织切片进行平面测量来测定哈氏小体所占区域。这些豚鼠的胸腺已通过以下三种方法之一发生退化：（1）胸腺局部X射线照射，或（2）限制食物摄入，或（3）全身注射可的松。与对照腺体相比，小体区域增加了两到三倍，且这种增加发生在小叶开始萎缩之前。哈氏小体在皮质宽度减小的同时肥大，即与胸腺细胞溶解同时发生。因此，有人认为小体所占区域可作为退化过程中胸腺细胞破坏程度的一种衡量指标。此外，由于在X射线照射后3 - 4周的重建过程中，小体明显减少，其大小进一步反映了胸腺中的细胞更新情况。
