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Correlation between chemoattractant-induced leukocyte adherence inhibition, macrophage chemotaxis, and macrophage inflammatory responses in vivo.

Variations in the magnitude of inflammatory macrophage response in vivo and macrophage chemotaxis in vitro, observed among inbred mouse strains, suggest that these traits are genetically-regulated. The development of an A X B series of recombinant inbred (RI) strains of mice derived from the C57BL/6J (B, high responder) and A/J (A, low responder) resulted in the availability of a large number of new inbred strains which express a spectrum of variations in the magnitude of these traits. These strains were used in the present study as a tool to examine the possible correlation between the phenomenon of leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) and those of macrophage inflammatory response in vivo and macrophage chemotaxis in vitro under the assumption the LAI requires the same cellular events as chemotaxis and that LAI resembles, grossly, the accumulation of nonadherent inflammatory cells in vivo. The typing of A X B RI strains for the traits of LAI, macrophage accumulation in vitro, and macrophage inflammatory response in vivo resulted in a correlation between the magnitude of response of those three phenomena in the total of 19 inbred strains tested, thus suggesting that the chemoattractant-induced LAI is biologically related to the events that mediate macrophage chemotaxis in vitro and the macrophage inflammatory response to sterile irritants in vivo.

Animals↗

Augmentation of macrophage recognition of oxidatively damaged erythrocytes by substratum-bound fibronectin and macrophage surface fibronectin.

Thioglycollate-induced mouse peritoneal macrophages plated on a coverglass bind oxidized mouse erythrocytes in the absence of serum. Macrophages plated on a coverglass pre-coated with fibronectin (FN) were more active in binding of the oxidized erythrocytes. This effect of FN-coated coverglass was due to specific binding of an RGD-containing sequence of FN to FN-receptors on the macrophage, since GRGDSP hexapeptide in solution inhibited this effect, and GRGDSP-coated coverglass exhibited the same effect as FN-coated coverglass. Removal of FN originally present on the macrophage surface by trypsinization, prior to attachment to the coverglass, resulted in diminution of their ability of recognition of the oxidized erythrocytes, but the diminished ability was restored when the trypsinized macrophages were plated on a FN-coated coverglass, indicating that the cell surface FN is required for the macrophage recognition. Attachment to the coverglass was necessary for the cell surface FN to be effective. These results suggest that solid-phase FN, produced either by deposition of soluble FN to substratum or attachment of macrophage surface FN to substratum, activates the macrophages and augments their ability to recognize the oxidized erythrocytes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Depletion of systemic macrophages by liposome-encapsulated clodronate attenuates striatal macrophage invasion and neurodegeneration following local endotoxin infusion in gerbils.

CNS-localized inflammation with microglial activation and macrophage infiltration contributes to the pathogenesis of a broad spectrum of neurologic diseases. A direct injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the striatum of gerbils induced lectin-positive macrophage parenchymal invasion, minimal local microglial staining but extensive neurodegeneration (cresyl violet and silver staining) when evaluated 4 days later. In mice, LPS activated microglia (increased lectin staining of morphologically identified cells) with substantially less macrophage invasion but no neurodegeneration was seen at 4 days post LPS infusion. To evaluate the role of infiltrating macrophages in the neurodegenerative response in gerbils, peripheral macrophages were depleted by an intravenous injection of liposome-encapsulated clodronate. This preparation depleted spleen and liver macrophages (>95%), decreased blood monocytes by 55% and attenuated striatal macrophage infiltration (32 to 73% in five representative sections). Notably, the liposome-encapsulated clodronate reduced the severity of LPS-induced neurodegeneration, as visualized by cresyl violet staining and quantified in 20 serially stained silver sections (total volume, 1.32+/-0.41 mm(3) in liposome-encapsulated clodronate-treated versus 3.04+/-0.72 mm(3) in saline-treated controls). These results indicate that a local LPS infusion in gerbil brain may be a useful model in which to investigate the role of invading macrophages and other inflammatory responses in neurodegeneration in inflammatory neurological disease.

Analysis of Variance↗

Ontogeny of macrophage function. I. Phagocytic activity and A-cell activity of newborn and adult mouse peritoneal macrophages.

Phagocytic activity and immune-participating A-cell activity of newborn and adult mouse macrophages were investigated under in vitro conditions. Thioglycollate medium-stimulated newborn (SNB) or adult (SA), and nonstimulated adult (NA) peritoneal macrophages were used. Immune complexes of sheep erythrocytes (SRBC), aldehyde-fixed SRBC, and latex beads were employed in phagocytosis tests. A-cell activity was estimated as the capacity to support primary or secondary responses of macrophage-deprived adult spleen cells to SRBC. Results obtained were: 1) phagocytic activity of NA macrophages was highest and that of SNB macrophages was higher than SA macrophages, 2) no difference was observed in A-cell activity for secondary response among SNB, SA, and NA macrophages, and 3) SNB macrophages were lacking in A-cell activity for primary response. These results suggest that the substantial A-cell function should be evaluated in primary responses, and that the A-cell and pahgocytic functions do not necessarily accompany each other.

Aging↗

Macrophage inhibitory factor-A3 derived from Mycobacterium avium serovar 2 inhibits candidacidal activity of murine peritoneal macrophages.

Macrophage inhibitory factor-A3 (MIF-A3), a fraction derived from Mycobacterium avium serovar 2 inhibited candidacidal activity in macrophages from C57BL/6, C57BL/10, C3H/HeJ and A/J strains of mice. Inhibition of candidacidal activity was demonstrated at MIF-A3 concentrations ranging from 100-400 micrograms/ml in macrophages without additional stimulators (exception C3H/HeJ macrophages) and in macrophages additionally stimulated with 200 U/ml interferon-gamma, 100 ng/ml phorbol myristate acetate and 0.4 ng/ml E. coli lipopolysaccharide from all mouse strains tested. The decreased candidacidal effect produced by MIF-A3 was dose-dependent and appeared greatest in macrophages treated with phorbol myristate acetate and lipopolysaccharide. This effect was neutralized by the addition of goat anti-MIF-A3 antiserum. Macrophages from the Bcgs mouse strains (C57BL/6 and C57Bl/100 were more sensitive to the effect(s) of MIF-A3 than macrophages from the Bcgr mouse strains (C3H/HeJ and A/J).

Analysis of Variance↗

Expression and role of heat-shock protein 65 (HSP65) in macrophages during Trypanosoma cruzi infection: involvement of HSP65 in prevention of apoptosis of macrophages.

The 65-kDa heat-shock protein (HSP65) is thought to play a role in host defense against infections with various microbial pathogens and in autoimmune inflammatory disorders. We investigated the biological function and expression mechanism of HSP65 in macrophages of mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. BALB/c mice, which are susceptible to T. cruzi, showed high levels of parasitemia, and 80% of these mice died within 42 days after the infection, whereas resistant C57BL/6 or DBA/2 mice showed low levels of transient parasitemia and all survived. HSP65 expression was correlated with resistance to T. cruzi infection; HSP65 was more strongly expressed in macrophages of resistant C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice than in macrophages of susceptible BALB/c mice. Immunodeficient BALB/c-nu/nu (nude) and C.B-17 scid/scid (SCID) mice were shown to be highly susceptible to this infection, and they did not express detectable levels of HSP65, suggesting that T cells play essential roles in the expression of HSP65 as well as in protective immunity against the infection. CD4(+) T cells, but not CD8(+) T cells or gammadelta T cells, were the cell population responsible for the induction of HSP65 expression in macrophages. Furthermore, depletion of asialo GM-1(+) NK cells made resistant C57BL/6 mice more susceptible to the infection, and HSP65 expression in their macrophages was abolished. Semiquantitative reverse transcription PCR analyses showed that both interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA levels in CD4(+) T cells became low when resistant C57BL/6 mice were depleted of NK cells, suggesting that NK cells contribute to functional differentiation of CD4(+) T cells and thereby affect the induction of HSP65 expression. To determine the function of HSP65, macrophages were treated in vitro with antisense oligonucleotide for HSP65 prior to inducing HSP65 with IFN-gamma plus TNF-alpha or T. cruzi infection. This treatment did not affect the production of nitric oxide following activation, but the treated macrophages became susceptible to apoptosis. These results indicate that HSP65 plays a role in preventing the apoptosis of macrophages and thereby contributes to host resistance against T. cruzi infection.

Animals↗

tRNA m1A modification orchestrates STING translation in macrophages to enhance antitumor immunity and CAR-macrophage immunotherapy.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play crucial roles in tumor progression. However, the mechanisms underlying the posttranscriptional regulation of TAMs remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated that Trmt61a, the "writer" enzyme of tRNA N1-methyladenosine (m1A) modification, is highly expressed in proinflammatory macrophages in tumor microenvironment. We generated conditional knockout (KO) mice for Trmt61a and observed that Trmt61a deletion in macrophages significantly promoted tumor growth. Mechanistically, we identified that m1A maintains the translation of STING, enhances STING-TBK1-IFN-β signaling in macrophages and therefore suppresses tumor cell growth. We further generated TRMT61A-overexpressing human iPSC-derived CAR-macrophage and demonstrated that human TRMT61A effectively promoted antitumor CAR-macrophage therapy in vivo. Collectively, our findings reveal a novel regulatory mechanism of tRNA m1A modification in macrophages, highlighting the antitumor therapeutic potential of targeting tRNA m1A modification in macrophages.

Animals↗

A distinct expression of CC chemokines by macrophages in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: implication for the intense tumor infiltration by T lymphocytes and macrophages.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is characterized by harboring Epstein-Barr virus genes in the tumor cells and an intense infiltration of leukocytes in the tumor tissue. These infiltrating cells are mainly composed of T lymphocytes and macrophages. The mechanism of this intense infiltration has long been a puzzle. We attempted to address this issue by studying the expression of CC chemokines, which are responsible for recruiting both T cells and macrophages, by an immunohistochemical approach. In biopsies obtained from nasopharynx of 17 NPC patients that contained tumor cells, expression of macrophage inflammatory protein 1alpha (MIP-1alpha), MIP-1beta, macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), MCP-2, MCP-3, and RANTES was detected in the tumor-infiltrating cells, with MIP-1alpha and MCP-1 found in nearly all biopsies and the others relatively less frequently. Furthermore, expression of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) was also observed in tumor-infiltrating cells. In contrast, CC chemokines and IFN-gamma were rarely expressed in the 13 control biopsies that were either normal or with nonspecific inflammation, and in 4 biopsies from untreated NPC patients that contained no tumor cells. Using an immunofluorescent double-staining method, MIP-1alpha and MCP-1 were identified to be associated with macrophages, and IFN-gamma with T cells. Moreover, expression of CCR2 and CCR5, the receptors for these chemokines, was also detected in the tumor-infiltrating cells. These data indicate that the intense tumor infiltration by T cells and macrophages is a result of active recruitment. It seems possible that the intense infiltration of leukocytes in NPC tumor tissue is initiated by the activated tumor-reactive T cells. T cells migrate into the tumor tissue in an antigen-specific mode, and IFN-gamma secreted from these pioneer T cells activates tissue macrophages to express CC chemokines, especially MIP-1alpha and MCP-1, which consequently recruit more T cells and macrophages into the tumor tissue.

Antibodies, Viral↗

Slow, persistent replication of lentiviruses: role of tissue macrophages and macrophage precursors in bone marrow.

Lentiviruses, as exemplified by visna virus of sheep, are nononcogenic retroviruses that cause slowly progressive diseases after prolonged periods of incubation. Earlier studies on visna have shown that the long incubation period of the disease is associated with constant production of minimal quantities of virus in tissues, whereas virus could be obtained by culturing monocytes and macrophages from explants of lymphatic tissues and inflamed organs. In this study the role of macrophages in lentivirus infection was explored using two sheep that were intrabronchially inoculated with virus. When sections of paraffin-embedded tissue, processed by a recently described technique which combines immunocytochemistry for the identification of macrophages and in situ hybridization for identification of viral nucleic acid, were examined, we found that virus replication is associated almost exclusively with infection in selected populations of macrophages in the interalveolar region of the alveoli, in inflammatory exudate cells in the lung, in lymph nodes, and in the spleen. Although large numbers of alveolar macrophages had viral RNA, few of these cells produced virus. While this minimally productive type of viral replication provides an explanation for the slow pace of the infection, restricted replication in terminally differentiated, short-lived macrophages does not explain persistent virus replication in the animal. With the discovery of clusters of infected macrophage precursors in the bone marrow, a mechanism for persistence was found. The macrophage precursor cells provide an important missing link in the virus-target-cell circuit and may be the reservoir of latently infected cells which perpetuate lentivirus infections in both animals and humans.

Animals↗

Association of AIM, a novel apoptosis inhibitory factor, with hepatitis via supporting macrophage survival and enhancing phagocytotic function of macrophages.

A hallmark of many inflammatory diseases is the destruction of tissue cells by infiltrating hematopoietic cells including lymphocytes, neutrophils, and macrophages. The regulation of apoptosis of both target tissue cells and the infiltrating cells is one of the key events that defines the initiation and the progression of inflammation. However, the precise picture of the apoptosis regulation of the cells at the inflammatory sites is still unclear. We recently isolated a novel apoptosis inhibitory factor, termed AIM, which is secreted exclusively by tissue macrophages. In this report, we present unique characteristics of AIM associated with liver inflammation (hepatitis), identified by introducing an experimental hepatitis in both AIM-transgenic mice, which overexpress AIM in the body, and normal mice. First, endogenous AIM expression in macrophages is rapidly increased in response to inflammatory stimuli. Second, AIM appears to inhibit the death of macrophages in the inflammatory regions, judging by the remarkably increased number of macrophages observed in the liver from transgenic mice. In addition, we show that AIM also enhances the phagocytosis by macrophages, which emphasizes the multifunctional character of AIM. All these findings strongly provoke an idea that AIM may play an important role in hepatitis pathogenesis in a sequential manner; first AIM expression is up-regulated by inflammatory stimuli, and then in an autocrine fashion, AIM supports the survival of infiltrating macrophages as well as enhances phagocytosis by macrophages, which may result in an efficient clearance of dead cells and infectious or toxic reagents.

Animals↗

The role of macrophages in the generation of T-helper cells. II. The genetic control of the macrophage-T-cell interaction for helper cell induction with soluble antigens.

Helper cell induction to nonparticle antigens in vitro requires the cooperation of T cells and macrophages, but does not occur if the macrophages are allogenic. The reasons for this were investigated. Malfunction of allogenic macrophages was excluded by cultures with their syngenic T cells; suppressor cell induction was excluded by admixture experiments. Thus, T cells and macrophages only cooperated if they were genetically similar. The genetic locus (loci) involved was mapped. Using congenic lines differing only at the H-2 complex, the genetic control of T-macrophage interaction was localized in the H-2 region. Mice with intra H-2 recombinants were used to map the T-macrophage interaction locus in the I-A region of the H-2 complex (formerly known as poly-D, L-ala-poly-L-lys. Recombinants were also used to exclude the presence of another T-macrophage locus either the K, I-B, or I-C, SS-Slp, or D regions of the H-2 complex. Genetic restrictions for T-macrophage interaction in helper cell induction was shown in mice of the H-2-k, d, b, q, s genotypes as well as in H-2 recombinants. The possible mechanisms and significance of this genetic restriction are discussed.

Amino Acids↗

Augmentation of macrophage complement receptor function in vitro. I. Characterization of the cellular interactions required for the generation of a T-lymphocyte product that enhances macrophage complement receptor function.

The function of complement receptors of mouse peritoneal macrophages was converted in vitro from mediating only attachment of macrophage complement receptor function was achieved by treating freshly explanted macrophages with supernates from cultures containing T lymphocytes and appropriately triggered macrophages. Fc receptor-mediated phagocyctosis by macrophages was required for the production of active supernates, for neither ingestion via the cells' complement receptors nor ingestion via nonimmunologic means was a sufficient stimulus for the macrophages' participation in the generation of supernatant activity. Fc receptor-triggered macrophages interacted by a contact dependent, but histocompatibility independent, mechanism with T lymphocytes, thereby signalling the lymphocytes to elaborate the active product. The possible significance of enhanced macrophage complement receptor function in inflammation, host defense against microbial pathogens, immune complex disease, and neoplasia is discussed.

Animals↗

Phagocytosis of senescent neutrophils by human monocyte-derived macrophages and rabbit inflammatory macrophages.

An in vitro system to investigate the ability of macrophages to recognize and ingest senescent polymorphonuclear neutrophils has been used that uses chromium-labeled neutrophils and staining for myeloperoxidase (MPO). Human monocyte-derived macrophages obtained from in vitro cultures were able to recognize "aged" but not freshly isolated 51Cr-labeled human neutrophils and ingest them. Freshly isolated monocytes did not exhibit this property. Because the aged neutrophils were greater than 95% viable, death did not appear to be a prerequisite for recognition and ingestion. Serum was not required for the aging of the neutrophils, and when serum was used, different concentrations did not appear to effect the aging process; that is, neutrophils aged in different concentrations of serum were ingested equally. Phagocytosis of senescent neutrophils by macrophages occurred in a time-dependent manner and was also dependent on the number of neutrophils added. Monocyte-derived macrophages first exhibited the ability to phagocytose senescent neutrophils on the 3rd d of culture, with the percentage of active macrophages increasing through day 7. In experiments with rabbit mononuclear phagocytes, immune complex-induced inflammatory macrophages from the lung but not resident bronchoalveolar macrophages or peripheral blood monocytes were found to be capable of recognition and ingestion of senescent rabbit neutrophils. These data suggest that the monocyte maturation process, akin to that seen during inflammation, is necessary in vitro before macrophages recognize and remove senescent neutrophils.

Animals↗

Human macrophage lectin specific for galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine is a marker for cells at an intermediate stage in their differentiation from monocytes into macrophages.

We studied the expression of a human macrophage lectin specific for galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine (hMGL) during macrophage differentiation. The expression of hMGL during the in vitro differentiation induced by human serum was examined by immunostaining and Western blotting with a specific mAb, MLD-1, as well as with RT-PCR analysis. hMGL was detected on cells at an intermediate stage of differentiation. These cells were round, slightly larger in size (12.7 +/- 0.2 microm) than monocytes (9.8 +/- 0.1 microm) and expressed the macrophage marker CD14, but lacked the dendritic cell marker CD1a. The highest levels of expression occurred after 2-4 days of culture. At this time point, MLD-1 prominently stained 20-40% of the cells. Monocytes cultured for 16 h or fully differentiated monocyte-derived macrophages were negative or weak for hMGL expression. Similar transient expression was also observed during granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor- or macrophage colony stimulating factor-dependent macrophage differentiation. The lectin was characterized as a functional endocytic receptor for glycosylated macromolecules, since the uptake of carbohydrate polymers was partially inhibited by the addition of MLD-1. The distribution of hMGL(+) cells in normal human skin was found by immunostaining to be mainly in the upper dermis distant from vascular structures. More than 90% of the hMGL(+) cells were double stained with anti-CD68 mAb and constituted approximately 20% of the CD68(+) cells. We suggest that the dermal hMGL(+) cells are a subset of differentiated cells derived from monocytes and that hMGL is a unique marker for cells at an intermediate stage of macrophage differentiation.

Acetylgalactosamine↗

Inflammatory myopathy with abundant macrophages (IMAM): a condition sharing similarities with cytophagic histiocytic panniculitis and distinct from macrophagic myofasciitis.

We describe the unreported pattern of inflammatory myopathy with abundant macrophages (IMAM) as a main differential diagnosis of postimmunization aluminum hydroxide-induced macrophagic myofasciitis (MMF). IMAM was mainly detected among patients with a dermatomyositis (DM)-like disease. Among 113 muscle biopsies from DM patients collected from 1974 to 2000, intensity of macrophage infiltration was highly variable: 41.5% (-/+); 34.5% (+); 17% (++): and 7% (+++). The 27 patients from groups (++) and (+++) had a similar pattern of macrophagic infiltration and were considered to have IMAM. They were compared to 40 MMF patients. In IMAM, macrophage infiltrates were diffuse and correlated positively with both T cell infiltrates and acute muscle fiber damage, and showed pictures of hemophagocytosis (21/27). Connective tissue structures were infiltrated by noncohesive, ribbon-forming collections of large basophilic macrophages containing no crystalline inclusions. In MMF, macrophage infiltrates were focal and formed compact well-delineated aggregates of granular PAS+ cells, loaded with crystalline aluminum hydroxide particles, in the absence of either hemophagocytosis or conspicuous muscle damage. Review of the literature indicates similarities between IMAM and "cytophagic histiocytic panniculitis" (CHP), a condition characterized by T cell-triggered macrophage hyperactivation. Both IMAM and CHP, but not MMF, may be associated with a life-threatening hemophagocytic syndrome.

Adolescent↗

Glycolaldehyde-modified low density lipoprotein leads macrophages to foam cells via the macrophage scavenger receptor.

It was shown that proteins modified with advanced glycation end products (AGE) are effectively endocytosed by macrophages or macrophage-derived cells in vitro, and immunohistochemical studies involving anti-AGE antibodies demonstrated the accumulation of AGE-modified proteins (AGE-proteins) in macrophage-derived foam cells in human atherosclerotic lesions in situ, suggesting the involvement of AGE-modified LDL in the atherogenic process in vivo. To examine this suggestion, LDL was modified with glycolaldehyde, a highly reactive intermediate of the Maillard reaction. Physicochemically, glycolaldehyde-modified LDL (GA-LDL) was characterized by increases in negative charge, fluorescence intensity, and reactivity to anti-AGE antibodies, properties highly similar to those of AGE-proteins. The cellular interaction of GA-LDL with mouse peritoneal macrophages showed that GA-LDL was specifically recognized and endocytosed, followed by lysosomal degradation. The endocytic uptake of GA-LDL by these cells was competitively inhibited by acetylated LDL (acetyl-LDL), and the endocytic degradation of acetyl-LDL was also competed for by GA-LDL. Furthermore, incubation of GA-LDL with these macrophages and Chinese hamster ovary cells overexpressing the macrophage scavenger receptor (MSR), but not with peritoneal macrophages from MSR-knockout mice, led to the intracellular accumulation of cholesteryl esters (CE). These results raised the possibility that AGE-modified LDL, if available in situ, is taken up by macrophages mainly via MSR and then contributes to foam cell formation in early atherosclerotic lesions.

Acetaldehyde↗

Macrophage mediated suppression of granulocyte and macrophage growth after burn wound infection reversal by means of anti-PGE2.

The production and release of granulocytes and macrophages, crucial elements of the host defense system, are significantly impaired after burn injury and sepsis. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is known to be myelosuppressive. We hypothesized that the macrophages contributed to myelopoietic suppression by means of increased PGE2 production, which is induced by thermal injury and sepsis. In this study, peritoneal macrophages were elicited at day 3 from normal mice and from mice who underwent a 15% total body surface area dorsal scald burn with or without Pseudomonas aeruginosa burn wound infection. The macrophages were incubated with or without endotoxin and with or without PGE2 polyclonal antiserum (anti-PGE2) for 18 hours. Macrophage supernatants were then used in co-cultures of bone marrow cells in a clonogenic assay of granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells (GM-CFCs) to determine the effect of burn wound infection on the alteration of the proliferative status of the GM-CFCs. Burn wound infection and endotoxin both caused marked reductions in GM-CFC growth in culture (20%-40% as compared with normal, P < .05-.01). The inhibition of GM-CFC growth induced by burn, burn plus infection, or endotoxin was significantly reversed by the addition of anti-PGE2 to the cultures (30%-40% increase in GM-CFC colony growth as compared with cultures without anti-PGE2). These results suggest that PGE2 is a key mediator in the gram-negative sepsis-induced macrophage suppression of granulocyte and macrophage production. The ability of anti-PGE2 to neutralize PGE2 activity may provide a useful means of mitigating myeloid depression that follows postburn sepsis.

Animals↗

Formation of mononuclear phagocyte (macrophage) colonies by mouse spleen cells in liquid culture. I. Kinetics of appearance of colonies and characterization of macrophage colony-forming cells.

When spleen cells of the adult mouse were tested for the formation of mononuclear phagocyte (macrophage) colonies by the liquid culture technique with an incubation period of 7--8 days, about 100 macrophage colonies were produced from 1 X 10(6) cells. The number of macrophage colonies appearing after 2 days of incubation was small, but thereafter increased progressively up to at least 8 days. In the later stages of incubation (after day 6) large colonies consisting of more than 100 cells appeared. Macrophage colonies in the early stages consisted almost solely of macrophages. On day 6 significant numbers of small round mononuclear cells with no detectable phagocytic activity were seen in the center of large colonies, and by day 8 marked crowding of these cells had occurred. The peripheral region of the large colonies consisted mainly of macrophages and the intermediate region of middle-sized round or slightly stretched cells with weak phagocytic activity. Approximately two-thirds of the colony-forming cells still remained after glass-adherent cells were removed from the spleen cells by passing over a glass-bead column. In cultures of glass-nonadherent cells macrophage colonies were not generated in the early stage. The number of colony-forming cells did not change significantly even after actively phagocytic cells were rigorously removed from the spleen cells. In addition, no macrophage colonies were generated in cultures of spleen cells treated with mitomycin C.

Animals↗