[Eicosanoids released in vitro by human alveolar macrophages from normal subjects and asthmatics]

Unstimulated alveolar macrophages incubated with arachidonic acid [1-14C] release both lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase metabolites. The nature of these eicosanoids is dependent on the incubation time with the labeled arachidonic acid and on the pathological lung profile.