Ultrastructure of macrophages of carrageenan granuloma in the rat with data on gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase activity.

The present study is an electron-microscopic investigation of granuloma induced in the rat by the subcutaneous injection of 1% lambda-carrageenan in 0.8% sodium chloride. We report on the presence of desmosome-like structures connecting neighbouring macrophages. They consisted of electron-dense plaques, which are closely applied to the cytoplasmic surfaces of the junction. Usually, no bundles of cytoplasmic filaments attached to the plaques were seen. At the intercellular space at the level of the junction, a dense material was observed that was sometimes arranged in a cross-bridge fashion. The lysosomal system was markedly developed and consisted mainly of secondary lysosomes containing a filamentous material that showed intense acid phosphatase activity, which was also demonstrated in Golgi cisternae. A membrane preparation obtained from rat carrageenan granuloma contained gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase activity (GGTP), which is a cell and lysosomal membrane-bound enzyme. The GGTP activity of a similar membrane preparation of guinea pig carrageenan granuloma was six times higher than that of the rat.