Origin of Plasma Cells in Sites of Inflammation

Abstract

THE origin of plasma cells in inflammatory reactions in non-lymphoid tissue is perplexing. They are found in the circulation only in unusual circumstances¹ and are not a usual cellular component of normal connective tissue. A possible source of these cells in areas of injury is suggested from investigations of lymphocytic cells in the vascular spaces and alveolar walls of the lung following the intravenous injection of complete Freund's adjuvant. The changes in some of these lymphocytes are similar to those described for white cells of the peripheral blood grown in tissue culture in the presence of a variety of materials. When phytohæmagglutinin, tuberculin, tetanus toxoid, diphtheria toxoid, smallpox vaccine, hæmophilus pertussis antigen, staphylococcal antigen, leukocyte antiserum, pollen extract and various tissue antigens are added to cultures of white cells from the peripheral blood, the small and medium sized lymphocytes enlarge and mitotic division may occur^2–13. Tanaka et al.¹⁴ have described a developing Golgi apparatus, increased ribosomes and a small amount of endoplasmic reticulum in cultures of lymphocytes from peripheral blood.