Lymphoid differentiation and organization of the spleen in the lizard, Calotes versicolor

Abstract

In Calotes versicolor, splenic primordium appears at stage 30 as a protuberance of mesenchymal cells from the dorsal mesentery. Lymphopoiesis is initiated at stage 40, followed by an increase in the lymphoid population of the rudiment during the successive stages of development. In the adult, splenic pulp is poorly demarcated into white pulp and red pulp. The former is in the form of closely arranged lymphoid follicles and the latter is highly restricted to narrow strands of blood spaces. A comparative study on the lymphoid organization of the spleen of a few other species of reptiles was also carried out.