Meyer E M
Klin Wochenschr. 1982 Mar;60(6):265-73. doi: 10.1007/BF01716803.
Being a reservoir of lymphocytes and plasma cells the lymph nodes are an integral part of the immune system. B and T lymphocytes in the lymph nodes show a distinct topographical distribution. The follicular outer cortex and the medullary cords are predominantly populated by B cells. The paracortical zone between cortex and medulla, is again subdivided in T cell areas and regions with heterogeneous populations of T and B lymphocytes. Even in the normal state nodal lymphocytes maintain a permanent exchange with blood lymphocytes via the mechanism of lymphocyte recirculation. Reactive structural changes of immunologic origin result in an increased immigration of blood lymphocytes into, as well as in local clonal proliferation within the lymph nodes. Four different morphologic patterns of nodal reaction can be determined in terms of functional impact: (1) cortical plasma cell reactions, (2) paracortical plasma cell reactions, (3) germinal center reactions, all three associated with humoral immune responses, and (4) hyperplastic changes of the paracortex associated with cell-mediated immune reactions. In both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses there may be an additional sinus histiocytosis, or mast cell hyperplasia.
淋巴结作为淋巴细胞和浆细胞的储存库，是免疫系统不可或缺的一部分。淋巴结中的B淋巴细胞和T淋巴细胞呈现出明显的拓扑分布。滤泡外皮质和髓索主要由B细胞占据。皮质与髓质之间的副皮质区又可细分为T细胞区以及T、B淋巴细胞混合群体区域。即便在正常状态下，淋巴结淋巴细胞也会通过淋巴细胞再循环机制与血液中的淋巴细胞持续进行交换。免疫源性的反应性结构变化会导致血液淋巴细胞向淋巴结内的迁移增加，以及淋巴结内局部克隆增殖。根据功能影响可确定四种不同的淋巴结反应形态模式：（1）皮质浆细胞反应，（2）副皮质浆细胞反应，（3）生发中心反应，这三种反应均与体液免疫反应相关，以及（4）与细胞介导免疫反应相关的副皮质增生性变化。在体液免疫和细胞介导免疫反应中，可能还会出现额外的窦组织细胞增多症或肥大细胞增生。
