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Isolation and In Vitro Culture of Murine and Human Alveolar Macrophages
09:09

Isolation and In Vitro Culture of Murine and Human Alveolar Macrophages

Published on: April 20, 2018

Pulmonary intravascular macrophages. Role in acute lung injury

A E Warner1

  • 1Center for Animal Resources and Comparative Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Clinics in Chest Medicine
|March 1, 1996
PubMed

Insights

Pulmonary intravascular macrophages (PIMs) may play a role in lung inflammation and injury by localizing pathogens. Studying PIMs in animal models can reveal their function in lung diseases and sepsis.

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonary immunology
  • Vascular biology
  • Inflammatory disease

Background:

  • Pulmonary intravascular macrophages (PIMs) are present in select species and may influence lung inflammation and injury.
  • PIMs are known to localize pathogens to the lungs and concentrate inflammatory responses.
  • In conditions like biliary cirrhosis, pulmonary phagocytes can develop in lung capillaries, increasing susceptibility to inflammation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of mononuclear phagocytes in lung inflammation and injury.
  • To explore the interaction between pulmonary phagocytes and liver disease.
  • To determine if macrophages can cause lung injury and identify contributing mediators.

Main Methods:

  • Induction of intravascular macrophages in rodent and rabbit lungs.
  • Selective inhibition or destruction of PIMs.
  • Utilizing the cirrhotic rat model to study pulmonary phagocyte-liver disease interactions.

Main Results:

  • Experimental models were developed to study PIMs and mononuclear phagocytes in lung injury.
  • The cirrhotic rat model allows investigation of monocyte adhesion and differentiation in pulmonary capillaries.
  • Potential to investigate the role of these factors in human lungs.

Conclusions:

  • PIMs and pulmonary phagocytes are critical components in lung inflammation and injury.
  • Animal models provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of lung damage involving macrophages.
  • Further research can elucidate the specific mediators macrophages contribute to sepsis-induced lung injury.

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