Electron microscopic study of microfold cells (M cells) in normal and inflamed human appendix. 1988

J Uchida
Department of Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Japan.

Electron microscopic observation was made on microfold cells (M cells) in the covering epithelium of the lymphoid follicle (dome epithelium) of the intestine. Materials consisted of ten human appendices, five of those were inflamed and obtained from children with acute appendicitis. The remainder was not inflamed macroscopically, and there was one human Peyer's patch for control. The results indicate that in the human appendix, the elevated surface type of M cells named by protruding apical cytoplasm to the lumen was more conspicuous than the depressed surface type. The latter type was named by shorter irregular microvilli than those of neighboring cells, and was present dominantly in human Peyer's patch. M cells with enfolded lymphocytes consisted of the stumpy type and the slim type in the whole shape. M cells in the inflamed appendix showed their apical cytoplasm swelling like a balloon and microfolds disappearing, and seemed vulnerable to inflammation. It is considered that the M cell surface structure changes not only in accordance with enfolded lymphocytes and the uptake of antigenic materials, but also according to the organ in which M cells are present and whether inflammation is present or not.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008214 Lymphocytes White blood cells formed in the body's lymphoid tissue. The nucleus is round or ovoid with coarse, irregularly clumped chromatin while the cytoplasm is typically pale blue with azurophilic (if any) granules. Most lymphocytes can be classified as either T or B (with subpopulations of each), or NATURAL KILLER CELLS. Lymphoid Cells,Cell, Lymphoid,Cells, Lymphoid,Lymphocyte,Lymphoid Cell
D008297 Male Males
D008854 Microscopy, Electron Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen. Electron Microscopy
D008855 Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Microscopy in which the object is examined directly by an electron beam scanning the specimen point-by-point. The image is constructed by detecting the products of specimen interactions that are projected above the plane of the sample, such as backscattered electrons. Although SCANNING TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY also scans the specimen point by point with the electron beam, the image is constructed by detecting the electrons, or their interaction products that are transmitted through the sample plane, so that is a form of TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY. Scanning Electron Microscopy,Electron Scanning Microscopy,Electron Microscopies, Scanning,Electron Microscopy, Scanning,Electron Scanning Microscopies,Microscopies, Electron Scanning,Microscopies, Scanning Electron,Microscopy, Electron Scanning,Microscopy, Scanning Electron,Scanning Electron Microscopies,Scanning Microscopies, Electron,Scanning Microscopy, Electron
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D004848 Epithelium The layers of EPITHELIAL CELLS which cover the inner and outer surfaces of the cutaneous, mucus, and serous tissues and glands of the body. Mesothelium,Epithelial Tissue,Mesothelial Tissue,Epithelial Tissues,Mesothelial Tissues,Tissue, Epithelial,Tissue, Mesothelial,Tissues, Epithelial,Tissues, Mesothelial
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000208 Acute Disease Disease having a short and relatively severe course. Acute Diseases,Disease, Acute,Diseases, Acute
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
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