Non-phagocytic adherent cells as contaminants in peritoneal macrophage cultures from conventionally housed mice.
Non-phagocytic adherent cells (NPAC) were found as contaminants in peritoneal macrophage cultures from mice kept in conventional animal houses. The cells were morphologically intermediates between macrophages and small lymphocytes. They showed a vigorous ameboid movement in vitro, and most of the cells detached during the first 24 h in culture. The cells were identified as B-lymphocytes by demonstrating surface immunoglobulin with fluorescence labelled goat-F(ab)2-anti-mouse IgG + IgM antibody, as non-phagocytes by latex beads phagocytosis test, and as non-T cells with an anti-Thy 1 monoclonal antibody. Macrophages were identified with M1/70 monoclonal antibody against the Mac-1 antigen. An increased number of NPAC was found in cultures harvested from the peritoneum of mice kept in conventional houses for one week or more, together with a rise in total peritoneal cell count. The keeping also resulted in increased functional activity of the macrophages, tested by morphology, lososomal enzyme activity and phagocytic functions. The rise in NPAC parallelled the activation of macrophages and may therefore serve as an indication of the functional state of the macrophage cultures.
D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000166:cytology*; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000166:cytology; D010587:Phagocytosis
D000135:Acid Phosphatase