[Electron microscopic study of the interaction of influenza virus murine peritoneal macrophages].

Electron microscopic study of mouse peritoneal macrophages infected with influenza virus showed typical phenomena of phagocytosis (absorption, invagination of plasma membrane, and formation of phagosomes) to occur at early stages of virus-cell interaction, up to 2 hours. At later stages, from 3 to 24 hours postinfection, virus particles were completely absent and virus antigen was present in most cells indicating the distruction of phagocytized virus. These observations confirm an important role of macrophages in antiviral immunity.