An immune model of beryllium-induced pulmonary granulomata in mice. Histopathology, immune reactivity, and flow-cytometric analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage-derived cells.

Abstract

A murine model of granulomatous lung disease may prove useful in understanding the genetic and immunologic factors that determine the response to beryllium. The animal model may also have implications for pulmonary sarcoidosis, a disease of unknown cause(s), whose disease manifestations and BAL profiles are difficult to distinguish clinically and pathologically from chronic beryllium disease.