title: Effects of irradiation on macrophagic response and transport of particles across the alveolar epithelium.
abstract: Macrophagic production and particulate penetration into the lung were studied in mice depleted of monocytes by whole body irradiation. Subsequent intratracheal instillation of 4 mg carbon resulted in a much smaller adaptive increase in the number of alveolar macrophages, as compared with nonirradiated animals. The decreased macrophagic output was associated with increased passage of free carbon across the Type 1 alveolar epithelium in increased accumulation of carbon in interstitial macrophages and hilar lymph nodes of irradiated mice. The results suggest that interference with the adaptive outpouring of alveolar macrophages following a particulate load facilitates the interaction of particles with macrophages within the pulmonary interstitium, where fibrogenic factors released in response to toxic agents would have a maximum effect.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002244:Carbon / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009000:Monocytes / Q000528:radiation effects; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon