Cytokinetic analysis of the expanding Kupffer-cell population in rat liver.
Zymosan stimulation in rats provides a useful model for studying the expansion of the Kupffer-cell population in liver, which represents the major population of tissue macrophages. This study, using tritiated-thymidine-labelling experiments, demonstrates that during population expansion at least 90% of the resident macrophages (Kupffer cells) develop proliferative activity. The mean duration of the cell cycle is estimated to be 52 hr, with an S phase of 7 hr. We have calculated that about 75% of population expansion results from local Kupffer-cell replication, whereas the remaining growth results from extrahepatic recruitment of macrophage precursors. These findings conflict with a concept of the mononuclear phagocyte system, which states that resident macrophages are (monocyte-derived) non-dividing end-cells.
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L
Bouwens
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M
Baekeland
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E
Wisse
D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D002455:Cell Division; D004261:DNA Replication; D007700:Kinetics; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D014316:Tritium; D015054:Zymosan / Q000494:pharmacology
D014316:Tritium; D015054:Zymosan; D013936:Thymidine