STUDIES OF THE RETICULOENDOTHELIAL SYSTEM (RES). I. MEASUREMENT OF THE PHAGOCYTIC CAPACITY OF THE RES IN MAN AND DOG*

Abstract

When human serum albumin is aggregated under standardized conditions, a polymer is obtained that can be successfully used to study the phagocytic capacity of the reticuloendothelial system (RES) in man. In addition to careful control of pH, temperature, amount of agitation, and concentration of the albumin solution, it is necessary to monitor the changes in optical density, to insure adequacy of the prepared material by bioassay in man, or dog, or both, and to conduct simultameous control studies in normal subjects during the study of patients. Large doses of aggregated albumin can be safety administered over prolonged periods to human subjects without evidence of hypersensitivity or excessive radiation. The phagocytic capacity of the RES in both man and dog was determined experimentally with the analytical method of Michaelis and Menten. In man, this maximal rate of phagocytosis of aggregated albumin was 1.07 mg per minute per kg of body weight. (auth)