A routine source of human peritoneal macrophages.

The routine availability of nucleated human cells for experimental use in limited in the absence of venipuncture. In this paper we have demonstrated that macrophages may be harvested routinely from the waste dialysis bags of patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. These cells were identified as macrophages by morphology, adherence, phagocytosis, chemotaxis, non-specific esterase staining and peroxidase staining. Macrophages from patients with end-stage renal disease produced arachidonate cyclo-oxygenase products in a pattern similar to that of ascites macrophages obtained from patients with normal kidney function. Arachidonate metabolism was shown to be manipulatable. Thus, indomethacin blocked synthesis of cyclooxygenase products, and OKY-1581, a specific thromboxane synthase inhibitor, increased the release of prostaglandin E2 and prostacyclin, measured as its stable breakdown product 6-keto-prostaglandin F1, whereas the thromboxane B2 synthesis was effectively inhibited.