Recovery of alveolar macrophages from rhesus and cynomolgus macaques by lung lavage.

A lung lavage technique was developed to recover alveolar macrophages from rhesus and cynomolgus macaques. Sterile saline solution was injected through an endotracheal tube in anesthetized macaques; lung wash fluids containing leukocytes were withdrawn. The lung wash fluids from each animal routinely contained more than 16 x 10(6) leukocytes. The predominant cell type was the alveolar macrophage; lung wash fluids contained more than 53% and 80% alveolar macrophages from rhesus and cynomolgus macaques, respectively. Lung lavage was performed each week for 6 weeks in both species with no ill effects. This technique has many applications in the study of infection and of pulmonary defense mechanisms.