The phagocytic process of human peritoneal macrophages in cancer or uremia.

The ingestion and adherence components of the overall phagocytic process have been studied in human peritoneal macrophages (HPM) from cancer or uremic patients and compared with HPM from healthy controls. No difference was found in the studied functions between cancer patients and controls. However, HPM from uremic patients showed a highly significant impairment in the overall phagocytosis and the studied components of this function. In all groups the ingestion phase was significantly depressed after 24 hours of culture. Despite this functional impairment, the total phagocytic process was unchanged, owing to a significant increase in the adherence of test particles.