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THYMIC CYSTS IN OESTROGENIZED BALB/c MICE
Author(s) -
Ebbesen P.,
Nielsen M. H.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
acta pathologica microbiologica scandinavica section a pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0365-4184
DOI - 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1972.tb02167.x
Subject(s) - spleen , thymectomy , pinocytosis , medicine , biology , endocrinology , autoantibody , lymphocyte , pathology , immunology , antibody , myasthenia gravis , endocytosis , receptor
BALB/c male mice injected monthly with 1 mg oestradiol benzoas developed testicular tumours, a generalized lymphocyte depletion, clusters of PAS positive cells in spleen and lymph nodes, spleen amyloid and PAS positive thymus cysts. Treatment of castrated males and intact females induced the same thymus cysts. Thymectomy at three days of age aggravated the lymphopenia, reduced the survival time and accelerated spleen amyloid development in oestrogen treated male and female mice. Testicular tumours appeared in some thymectomized males. All thymus cysts contained gamma globulin and albumin. A lymphocytestimulating factor was not found in thymus extracts of treated mice and Coombs' test and indirect fluorescence tests for autoantibodies were negative. Electron microscopic findings were consistent with ongoing transport by pinocytosis through the cells lining the thymus cysts.