[Changes in the mechanisms of the phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages during aging].

A study of the phagocytic activity in young and old rats showed that the amount of functionally active cells among macrophages of the peritoneal exudate falls with ageing. The ability of macrophages to fix, absorb and digest heterologous cells (chicken erythrocytes) decreases. This decrease of phagocytic activity is to a considerable extent due to serum factors. Probably, the age changes in the macrophages functional activity play a definite role in decreasing the efficiency of defence mechanisms during senescence.