Central Lymphoid Organs

Bone Marrow
- The progenitor T- and B-cells originate in bone marrow.
- Further development of B-cells occurs in bone marrow itself
- But progenitor T-cells proliferate in thymus.
Thymus
2 lobs each with Cortex & medulla
• Cortex contains: Numerous Immature T-lymphocytes and epithelial
• Medulla contains: Few thymocytes, epithelial cells, dendritic cells and Hassall’s
corpuscles (concentric layers of degenerating epithelial cells)
Majority of cells (95%): Undergo death by negative selection & 5% undergo
positive selection
Mature T lymphocytes migrate peripheral lymphoid organs where they respond
to the antigenic stimulus.
Peripheral Lymphoid Organs
Lymph Node

- Site where immune response is initiated

- Swollen lymph node denotes stimulation of immunity and cell growth.

- Lymph nodes are divided into three parts: cortex, medulla (both are B-cell
areas) and paracortex (T-cell area).
- Cortex containing aggregations of B lymphocytes as a primary follicles
after Ag stimulation become secondary follicles containing large dividing B
lymphocytes
Spleen
- The largest secondary lymphoid organ.
- Site of immune responses to antigens in blood
- It's divided into two compartments; central white pulp and outer red pulp.
• White pulp forms Periarteriolar lymphoid sheath (T-cell area)
 • Between white & red pulps there is a Marginal zone (B-cell area)
• Red pulp contains the sinusoids, filled with RBCs. The older and defective
RBCs are destroyed here.
Mucosa Associated Lymphoid Tissue (MALT)
MALT are present lining the mucosa of intestine, respiratory, and urogenital
tract
ANTIGEN PRESENTIG CELL(APC)

Cells that present the antigenic peptide (along with MHC class II) to TH cells.
They have MHC class II & B7 molecule