In vitro testing of dental materials by means of macrophage cultures. I: Methodological aspects

Macrophages play a central role in the pathogenesis of inflammation. In addition, activated macrophages are the first cells to come in contact with foreign particles in tissue. In the present study the applicability of macrophages for in vitro biological screening of dental materials was tested. Monolayers of murine peritoneal macrophages were prepared. After three days culture the macrophages were inoculated with alloy particles prepared from silver and tin (Ag3Sn), the gamma-phase of dental silver-amalgam. After different inoculation periods the macrophages were fixed and examined with phase contrast microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray analysis. Comparison with phagocytosis of particles injected intraperitoneally was also performed. Macrophage cultures inoculated with Latex particles served as controls. Ten minutes after inoculation with alloy particles, about 58% of the macrophages had ingested particles. EDAX-analysis indicated that the phagocytized alloy particles contained both silver and tin in the same proportions as in the original alloy. When the cultures had been inoculated for ten days, however, a marked reduction in phagocytosis was observed probably due to cytolysis of those macrophages which initially had phagocytized the alloy particles. The results indicate that, although the Ag3Sn alloy particles at all the time intervals studied were phagocytized more slowly and to a lesser extent than the Latex particles, the method could be of value in studying the biocompatibility of dental materials available in particulate form.