The development of the resident pattern of endogenous peroxidatic activity in mouse peritoneal macrophages coincides with the expression of the differentiation antigen F4/80. A combined method for immunoperoxidase labeling and endogenous peroxidase cytochemistry.

In the mouse the maturation of mononuclear phagocytes was followed by comparing the ultrastructural pattern of endogenous peroxidatic activity (PA) at different time points during an acute peritonitis induced with newborn calf serum (NCS). Exudate macrophages demonstrate PA only in lysosomes, whereas resident macrophages have reaction product in the nuclear envelope (NE) and rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER). Transitional cells called "exudate-resident" macrophages have PA in the NE, RER, and some virginal lysosomes. In addition, peroxidase-negative macrophages were also present. A monoclonal antibody, F4/80, that specifically recognizes a mouse macrophage differentiation antigen (Austyn and Gordon, 1981) was used in this study. To compare the indirect immunoperoxidase labeling of this antigen and the endogenous peroxidase cytochemistry on the cellular level, a combined method was developed. Finally, the method was applied to the peritoneal cells at different time points after intraperitoneal injection of NCS in mice. The relative numbers of cells demonstrating the different patterns of endogenous PA and the proportions of each subpopulation expressing F4/80 antigen were estimated. It appeared that the expression of the antigen F4/80 coincides with the development of the resident pattern of PA. It is therefore concluded that the macrophages with the resident pattern of endogenous peroxidase are derived from monocyte-like exudate macrophages. In addition, the results indicate that both exudate-resident macrophages and at least a part of the peroxidase-negative macrophages are transitional forms.