Translocation of inhaled dust to the pleura.
Inhaled chrysotile asbestos or carbon dust that reaches the alveoli in guinea pig lungs is ingested by macrophages which move through the parenchyma of the lung toward the pleura. Some macrophages are eliminated from the lung by passing through blood vessel or bronchiolar walls. Those that reach the pleura are mainly aggregated in a few small areas. They may pass through the pleura. The active macrophages stain blue with Perls' reagent due to iron in the lysosomes. Occasionally, a macrophage may disintegrate while passing through the pleura and Perls-positive lysosomes become distributed over an area, presumably in the lymphatics.
D000818:Animals; D001194:Asbestos / Q000032:analysis; D017632:Asbestos, Serpentine; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D004391:Dust; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology; D008823:Micelles; D010994:Pleura / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D012119:Respiration
D017632:Asbestos, Serpentine; D004391:Dust; D008823:Micelles; D001194:Asbestos; D002244:Carbon