Macrophage cytophilic antibody in mice: mechanism of action of bacterial lipopolysaccharide on the uptake of immunoglobulins by mouse peritoneal cells.

The action of injected bacterial lipopolysaccharide upon the uptake of cytophilic antibodies by macrophages was found to be unrelated either to changes in surface charge or to the rate of anaerobic glycolysis of these cells. It is apparently mediated by alterations in the levels of material in the serum which enhances the uptake of cytophilic antibody by macrophages. This enhancing material does not appear to be an immunoglobulin nor can it be generated by the action of endotoxin on either whole blood or serum.