Dose response of the pulmonary macrophagic system to various particulates and its relationship to transepithelial passage of free particles.

Alveolar macrophages are thought to arise from both marrow-derived monocytes and pulmonary interstitial cells. Macrophage kinetics are now studied under various conditions of alveolar loading using several doses of carbon (0.03 micrometers diameter), polystyrene latex (0.1 and 1.0 micrometers), and heat-killed bacteria. In serial studies we examined the number of macrophages recovered by lavage, DNA synthesis by lung cells on autoradiographs, and the passage of free particles into lung tissues by electron microscopy. The dual origin of the alveolar macrophage was confirmed for each particulate. The observed peak in macrophagic output at 1 day may be explained by monocytic egress. With greater loads, the peak value did not increase, but the continuing macrophagic production correlated with a period of interstitial cell proliferation. For all particles used, the number of new macrophages was related more closely to number of particles instilled than to the total dose by weight delivered to the lungs. With increasing number, more free particles of carbon and latex crossed the Type 1 epithelium to be phagocytized by interstitial macrophages. The results suggest that the adaptive outpouring of alveolar macrophages occurs by an acceleration of the normal biphasic pathway; when the adaptive response is prolonged, the interstitial compartment appears to be the predominant source of new cells.