Function of peritoneal exudate cells after abdominal surgery.

Peritoneal macrophages and polymorphonuclear neutrophils are key cells in the repair of postoperative injury. Increased numbers of macrophages migrate into the peritoneal cavity after operation and the function of these cells changes over the postoperative interval. Macrophage activities, such as respiratory burst, arachidonic acid metabolism, monokine secretion, and plasminogen activator inhibitory activity, are elevated by peritoneal operation. However, the secretion of plasminogen activator activity is decreased after operation. The kinetics with which each of these functions changes varies with the parameter examined, indicating a complex regulation of the differentiation of leukocytes after operation. In addition, the activity of postoperative macrophages can be modulated in vitro by exposure to cytokines and conditioned media from polymorphonuclear neutrophils and macrophages. Thus, cell-cell interactions and factors secreted within the peritoneal cavity may regulate the contribution of postoperative leukocytes to peritoneal repair after operation.