Abstract
The epithelium of the rabbit palatine tonsil was studied with vimentin immunohistochemistry, using cryosections and paraffin sections labelled with three monoclonal antibodies. Vimentin-positive epithelial cells were detected in crypt regions overlying lymphoid follicles but were absent from the surrounding stratified pharyngeal epithelium. The cells lay in close contact with intra-epithelial lymphocytes and their apical cytoplasm had a membranous shape. Since vimentin is a sensitive, specific marker for M-cells of the rabbit intestine, the present findings indicate that M-cells similar to those in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue occur in the tonsil.