マウス胸腺脂肪化の組織学的検討

Abstract

Lipogenesis in the thymus of the mouse was investigated histologically through the postnatal growth, The HE-stained sections of the thymus form neonatal to 8 week-old mice were prepared and observed under LM. Fat cells were not observed in the thymus of neonatal, 3 nor 4 week-old. In the 5 week-old specimens small groups of fat cells were observed in the trabeculae, but not in the capsule. Fat cells tended to in the 6 and 8 week-old specimens in their order, and appeared at the capsule in the latter. Then, total lipid and DNA contained in the thymus were also determined. The quantity of total lipid increased at the period of 5 to 8 week-old after birth, but the DNA contents were not changed for the period of 3 to 8 week-old. These results suggest that mature fat cells appear at the trabeculae until 5 week-old at the latest, and then that fat cell accumulation in the thymus precede the decrease of lymphocytes, that is , age involution, in the thymus of the mouse.