| Comments |
“The concentration of lymphocytes in the peripheral
lymph of different tissues has so far only been
measured in sheep (Smith el al., 1970). On the average,
the lymphocyte concentration in the peripheral lymph
was about one tenth of that in the blood. A similar
relation can be expected in man, where only the particularly
lymphocyte-poor lymph of the leg has been
measured (Engeset et al., 1973). Basing on an average
concentration of 200 lymphocytes/mm^3 in the pooled
tissue lymph streams and on a tissue mass of 70 kg
minus 7 kg of bone, 2 kg of gut and lung, 5.4 kg of
blood and 1 kg of lymphoid tissue and bone marrow
resulting in 54.6 kg drained tissue, a number of 11 ×
10^9 (200×10^6×54.6) diffusely distributed lymphocytes
in the rest of the body can be calculated. Thus,
[researchers] arrive at a rough estimate of the lymphocytes
in the tissues outside the lymphoid organs, the bone
marrow, the organized (nodular) lymphoid tissue of the
gut and the blood: 30×10^9 in the intestinal mueosa,
30×10^9 in the mucosa of the respiratory tract and
10×10^9 in the rest of the body giving a total of
70×10^9 cells.
Number and Distribution of Lymphocytes in Man-
After these derivations [researchers] can summarize all
estimates of lymphocyte numbers and distribution
in normal human adults (Table 4 BNID 111350).” |