Lysozyme Content of Alveolar and Peritoneal Macrophages from the Rabbit

Abstract

Summary Normal rabbit alveolar macrophages have been analyzed for lysozyme content and they have been found to contain between 2000 and 4000 μg/ml of packed cells. A comparative study of the lysozyme content of oil induced peritoneal macrophages has revealed that peritoneal macrophages possess low levels of lysozyme. The possible role of alveolar macrophages as scavenger cells in the lung is discussed. It is postulated that macrophages may differ in their physiological and functional ability depending on their origin.