[Polyacrylamide-induced subcutaneous inflammation in mice]

The subcutaneous injection of polyacrylamide beads into mice induced an inflammation which allowed counting and characterization of inflammatory cells and substances contained within the granuloma. The cellular and protein content of the inflamed site was followed up for seven days. One day after injection of the beads, a large concentration of macrophages was found with a low content of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. No lymphocytes were observed. The increased protein concentration of the inflammatory exudate was accompanied by the appearance in the plasma of a protein with a pHi of 4.1 +/- 0.2. This protein, absent in normal plasma, was found 6 h after induction of the inflammatory reaction, with its concentration increasing up to the 4th day.