MORPHOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR MIGRATION OF PARTICLE-LADEN MACROPHAGES THROUGH THE INTERALVEOLAR PORES OF KOHN IN THE MURINE LUNG

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 1993

Authors

PEAO, MND (Author) Other; AP Águas (Author) ICBAS; Carlos Sá (Author) FEUP; GRANDE, NR (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Acta Anatomica

Vol. 147

Pages: 227-232

ISSN: 0001-5180

Publisher: S. Karger AG

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 3 Citations

Scopus - 2 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-001-MSH

Abstract (EN): We have investigated the topography of particle-laden macrophages in the pulmonary tissue of CD-1 mice after intratracheal instillation of a suspension of 250 mug of calcium tungstate. The mice were sacrificed 1, 3, 7 and 14 days after the particle deposition. 1-ung fragments were,studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with X-rav microanalysis that allowed in situ elemental identification of tungsten in the lungs. Tungsten-positive macrophages were distinctly located in the lungs of mice sacrificed at 1-3 days when compared with samples from mice killed 7- 14 days after the calcium tungstate instillation. At 1-3 days, the tungsten-carrying macrophages were accumulated near the terminal bronchioles whereas they were seen predominantly in the alveolar ducts and sacs in the 7- to 14-day groups of mice. This suggests that during pulmonary inflammation there is a redistribution of the particle-containing macrophages throughout the deep lung tissue. In high-magnification SEM views, we observed that the tungsten-positive macrophages presented numerous surface microvilli. Tungsten-laden phagocytes were detected in interalveolar fenestrae, at the so-called Kohn pores. This finding documents that the Kohn pores may be used by inflammatory cells as a pathway for the migration of phagocytes in between adjacent alveolar sacs.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 6