Colonic lymphoid-glandular complex (microbursa): nature and morphology.

A study of lymphoid-glandular complexes of the large bowel has been undertaken. Sections from 1924 surgical colectomy and proctocolectomy specimens were examined, and lymphoid-glandular complexes were observed in 231. It has been shown that they are distributed throughout the large bowel and occur in all age groups and in normal and disease states. An analogy has been drawn between them, the palatine tonsils, and the bursa of Fabricius. It is concluded that the lymphoid-glandular complex is, most probably, a normal structural entity of the large bowel and that it acts as a local receptor of antigenic material for future immune recognition. It is suggested that microbursa rather than lymphoid-glandular complex is more apt name for this structure.