Comparison of some properties of normal or stimulated murine peritoneal macrophages

We studied phagocytic activity of murine macrophages for 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate particles, determined the percentage of cells carrying Fc receptors for IgG1, IgG2A, IgG2B, IgM, IgA and IgE, and phagocytic activity mediated by Fc receptors, as well as pinocytic activity and adherence of normal and thioglycollate- or proteose peptone-stimulated peritoneal macrophages. A significant increase in phagocytic activity was found (the exceptions were FcR for IgG2A, IgG2B and IgM in TG-stimulated and FcR for IgA in PP-stimulated macrophages). Pinocytic activity increased two- to three-fold, adherence capacity, on the contrary, fell to one third in the TG-stimulated macrophages, whereas it remained unchanged after treatment in the PP-stimulated ones. Further evidence is provided for considerable differences in the properties of normal and stimulated peritoneal macrophages.