Bronchoalveolar lavage cells and mitotic activity of monocytes and macrophages in rats after long-term intermittent hypoxia.

Long-term (1.5 months) intermittent hypoxia promoted desquamation of bronchial epithelial cells, decreased the relative content of alveolar macrophages and monocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage, stimulated lymphocyte migration to the lungs, and increased the relative content of lymphoid cell in rats. Mitotic activity of monocytes and macrophages decreased against the background of intraalveolar lymphocytosis (lymphocytic alveolitis).