The equine thymus microenvironment: a morphological and immunohistochemical analysis

We characterized herein the microarchitecture of the equine thymus along with post-natal development (6 months --> 18 years). Thymuses showed an involutional process, beginning before the puberty and defined by five histological grades, which consider the progressive cortical thymocyte depletion, shrinkage and rearrangement of the epithelial network and increase in extracellular matrix (ECM). A second feature of the equine thymus was the presence of eosinopoiesis, erythropoiesis, mastocytopoiesis and plasmacytogenesis. Additionally, lymphatic vessels, full of lymphocytes, were particularly prominent. Distribution of ECM proteins was heterogeneous, being denser in the medulla, as well as basement membranes of capsule, septa and perivascular spaces, thus similar to the patterns seen in other mammals. In vitro, horse thymic nurse cells produce ECM proteins, which are relevant in thymocyte/epithelial cell interactions. In conclusion, the equine thymus presents morphological and involutional characteristics similar to other mammals, exhibiting particular features, as prominent non-lymphoid hematopoiesis and lymphatic vessels. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.