THE HOMOGENEITY AND MONOCYTIC ORIGIN OF HUMAN PERITONEAL-MACROPHAGES EVIDENCED BY COMPARISON OF ESTERASE POLYMORPHISM

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 102  (2) , 209-218
Abstract
The hypothesis of the homogeneity and monocytic origin of the normal unstimulated (resident) peritonal macrophages in man was tested. The isoelectric focusing pattern of one of the lysosomal marker enzymes, acid esterase (EC 3.1.1.6), was studied in highly purified samples of normal human blood cell fractions. All blood cell types showed a cell-specific constellation of their enzyme variants as far as blood cells were concerned. Comparisons were made with resident peritoneal macrophages of healthy subjects. Only blood monocytes shared all their isoenzymes with peritoneal macrophages. Two additional bands, not seen in monocytes, occurred in peritoneal macrophages. During blood monocyte exposure to prolonged glass adherence there was a gradual transition of the monocytic pattern into that of peritoneal macrophages. The results document the homogeneity and monocytic origin of resident peritoneal macrophages in man.