Bromobenzene causes Clara cell damage in mice.

The oral administration of a single dose of bromobenzene (5 mmol/kg) causes cellular damage in the lungs of C57B1/6 male mice. At 24 h following treatment with bromobenzene, Clara cells of the bronchiolar epithelium demonstrated necrosis; endoplasmic reticular cisternae were extensively dilated, and degenerated membranes were present in the cytoplasmic matrix as electron-dense tubular aggregates. The ciliated cells which were interspersed among the Clara cells, remained unaffected. The morphologic alterations produced by bromobenzene and the target cell are similar in character to the pulmonary lesions produced by administration of other aromatic and aliphatic halogenated hydrocarbons.