Liver phagocytosis in late stages of lethal canine endotoxin shock. A patho-morphological study.

Liver phagocytosis was studied by means of electron microscopy in late stages of lethal canine endotoxin shock. A massive phagocytic activity was found within hepatic macrophages. The phagocytosed material found within Kupffer cells consisted of red cells, red-cell fragments, platelets, a fibrin-like material and damaged polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Red cells and red-cell fragments seemed to constitute the major part of the material involved.