Effect of experimental glomerulonephritis on the cells in canine renal lymph with special reference to the veiled cell.

An immunological glomerulonephritis was induced in dogs by the administration of rabbit anti-canine glomerular serum (1 mg/kg) and the effects on white cells in blood, thoracic duct lymph and peripheral renal lymph were observed over 14 days. The principal response was seen in the renal lymph which showed, within 1 hr of the injection of antiserum, a significant increase in its cellular content that lasted for approximately 16 hr. The cells affected by this early response were phagocytic, being both mononuclear and polymorphonuclear. Although the number of lymphocytes leaving the kidney did not increase, the character of these cells changed. Thus, during the first day there was a comparative increase in the number of large lymphocytes, and cells undergoing mitosis appeared in the lymph. These changes suggested the presence of local blast transformation. Later in the course of the response the proportion of small lymphocytes increased and that of large lymphocytes declined. Non-lymphocytic mononuclear cells with characteristics of 'veiled' and 'frilly' cells appeared in renal lymph on the first day and persisted throughout the 14 days. Many of these cells formed the centres of lymphocyte rosettes. The presence of these cells, which have previously been associated with Langerhans cells in the skin, in renal lymph suggests that they have a wide distribution in the body and that they are important during the immunological response to glomerulonephritis.