[The morphofunctional changes in the perivascular and lymphoepithelial nodes of the respiratory organs following antigenic stimulation].
Morphological, experimental-immunological methods with mathematical analysis were used in 108 Wistar line rats in the pre- and postnatal ontogenesis to study the lymphoid structures of the trachea, bronchi and stroma of the lungs. Two types of lymphoid nodules were detected in the respiratory organs of rats and man: 1. perivascularly located in the wall of the trachea, bronchi and stroma of the lungs; 2. lymphoid nodules of the mucous membrane of the respiratory ways which have a different structure. The former are related to a common immune system of the internal milieu, the latter--to a common immune system of the mucous membranes. Antigenic stimulation revealed that formation of lymphoid structures is enhanced and more rapidly terminated as to functional maturation. Lymphoid structures play a decisive role in local immunity.