Muramidase content of cells in human granulomatous reactions.

The muramidase content of reactive cells in the lesions of human foreign body reactions, lepromatous and tuberculoid leprosy, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, and granulomatous hepatitis, was assessed using specific anti-human muramidase antiserum and a peroxidase-anti-peroxidase marker system. Epithelioid and giant cells in sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, granulomatous hepatitis, and tuberculoid leprosy all showed the presence of muramidase in their cytoplasm. The muramidase content of macrophages in foreign body reactions and lepromatous leprosy varied and most multinucleate cells in these lesions gave a negative reaction. Possibly varying rates of muramidase secretion may account for these differences.