Abstract
The cells from the lavage fluid of newborn to adult specific pathogen-free (SPF) Minnesota miniature swine and germ-free (GF) piglets were characterized by their morphologic appearance, their ability to phagocytose latex heads and their nonspecific esterase activity. The lavage fluid from the lungs of immunologically 'virgin' piglets taken by aseptic hysterectomy 3 days prior to term and from naturally farrowed piglets sacrificed immediately after birth contained only epithelial-like cells. The cells from the lung lavage fluid ranged from an average of 11.4% macrophages and 73.9% polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) in 12-hr-old SPF piglets to adult levels averaging over 90% macrophages and under 3.0% PMN in 2-week-old SPF piglets. The percentage of alveolar macrophages (AM) capable of phagocytosing latex beads reached adult levels averaging greater than 70% in 1-week-old SPF piglets. The percentage of AM with nonspecific esterase activity increased from an average of 2.2% in 12-hr-old SPF piglets to an average of 56.5% in adult SPF pigs. The development of AM in GF piglets was slower than in SPF piglets. The number of AM in GF piglets at 3 to 4 days and at 2 weeks was 5 and 20% of their SPF conterparts, respectively. These data suggest that the macrophages are not present in the lungs of immunologically 'virgin' piglets and that nonspecific antigenic stimulation is necessary to elicit a resident population of AM.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 483-495 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | RES Journal of the Reticuloendothelial Society |
Volume | 30 |
Issue number | 6 |
State | Published - 1981 |
Externally published | Yes |