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REVIEW: Peyer's patches
Author(s) -
HEEL KATHRYN A,
McCAULEY ROSALIE D,
PAPADIMITRIOU JOHN M,
HALL JOHN C
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.1997.tb00395.x
Subject(s) - antigen , microfold cell , immunology , lymphatic system , high endothelial venules , mesenteric lymph nodes , biology , cell adhesion molecule , peyer's patch , microbiology and biotechnology , pathology , immune system , medicine
The function of Peyer's patches as antigenic sampling sites involves the complex interplay of a variety of mechanisms that aim to recognize luminal antigens, induce an immunological response and decrease the incidence of antigen translocation across the mucosal epithelium. This is achieved by M cells, which facilitate the uptake of luminal antigens, a vascular architecture that promotes the retention of absorbed antigens within the patch interstitium (allowing for maximal antigenic activation of lymphocytes) and the presence of lymphoid follicles that contain antigen‐presenting cells and lymphocytes. Lymphocytes encountering antigen in the Peyer's patches proliferate, differentiate into fully mature antigen‐specific effector cells and migrate to the mesenteric lymph nodes where they undergo final maturation. The mature lymphocytes then enter the systemic circulation and migrate throughout the other mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissues of the body and ‘home’ into the gut via high endothelial venules and gut‐associated lymphoid tissue‐specific adhesion molecules, providing antigen‐specific lymphocytes at sites likely to re‐encounter the antigen.