Ultrastructure of alveolar macrophages under endobronchial laser therapy of acute and chronic inflammatory lung disease.

512 specimens of the bronchoalveolar fluid of 171 patients with acute and chronic inflammatory processes in the lung were studied. It was shown that significant qualitative and quantitative changes in cellular composition of the bronchoalveolar fluid occurred under the influence of a helium-neon laser: an increase in the percentage of macrophages and a decrease in the percentage of neutrophils. With the help of autoradiographic studies the induction of metabolic and proliferative activity (according to level of RNA- and DNA-synthesis) of alveolar macrophages after laser treatment was revealed. Based on morphologic changes of the respiratory compartment of the lung, conclusions were drawn about the stimulation of the functional activity of alveolar macrophages as a basis of the clinical effect of laser therapy on acute and chronic inflammatory processes.