Determination of the Phagocytic Capacity of Rat Alveolar Macrophages Following Exposure to Inhalable Fibrous and Non-Fibrous Dust Fractions

Abstract

The alveolar macrophage plays an important role in the protection of the lung against airborne particles (Williams and Cole 1981). Phagocytic cells show increased metabolic activity when their plasma membranes are stimulated with zymosan particles. Oxygen consumption rises, superoxide anions and hydrogenperoxide are produced, and there are changes in hexose monophosphate shunt activity (Allen et al. 1972). The phagocytic activity of rat alveolar macrophages after exposure to asbestos fibres, glass fibres, the inert control dust electrocorundum and Dorentruper Quartz (DQ₁₂) was examined by the technique of chemiluminescence (CL) (Doll et al. 1982). With regard to the sedimentation of dusts in culture suspension we have employed a system whereby the alveolar macrophages are purified as monolayers in glass tubes prior to chemiluminescence determination.