Deep splenic lymphatic vessels in the mouse: a route of splenic exit for recirculating lymphocytes

A study of pathways of lymphocyte migration through mouse spleen revealed lymphatic channels closely following arteries in trabeculae and white pulp. Because there is no detailed record of the layout of deep splenic lymphatics in the mouse, or other species, we present our observations in this paper, relating our findings to normal migratory pathways of lymphocytes through the spleen. Lymphatics draining the spleen are so inconspicuous that they often are not mentioned in anatomical discussions. The data presented clearly demonstrate 1) the existence and layout of deep lymphatic vessels in the mouse spleen, and 2) that migrating lymphocytes exit white pulp via these lymphatic vessels. CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets migrated proximally along the central artery from distal (dPALS) to proximal periarterial lymphatic sheaths (pPALS) and exited via deep lymphatic vessels that originate there. B cells migrated from dPALS to enter lymphatic nodules (NOD), thus segregated from T cells. B cells then migrated toward and exited via deep lymphatics. The appearance of labelled lymphocytes in lymph coincided with their disappearance from white pulp compartments. Labelled T cells were observed in splenic lymphatics as early as 1 hr after intravenous infusion but took, on average, about 6 hr. B cells took somewhat longer. Thus T and B cells entered and left white pulp through shared pathways, but took divergent intermediate routes through dedicated zones, pPALS for T cells, NOD for B cells.