Mononuclear phagocytes from carrageenan-induce granulomas. Isolation, cultivation, and characterization.

Stable cultures of mononuclear phagocytes from carrageenan-induced granulomas in mice have been established after enzymatic dispersion of these lesions. The cells can be maintained for up to 3 wk without division in serum-free media. The mononuclear phagocytes were identified by several criteria. The cells are adherent, phagocytic, contain lysosomal acid hydrolases at high specific activities, secrete lysozyme, and bind soluble aggregates of IgG. The activities of 5'-nucleotidase and leucine aminopeptidase in the cultured granuloma cells showed that they resembled macrophages from thioglycollate-stimulated mice but not unstimulated macrophages in these respects. Supernates from the cultured granuloma cells contain factor(s) which induce the proliferation of thymocytes; the release of such factors by the cells is stimulated by lipopolysaccharide.