[Effect of staphylococcal substance on the phagocytic activity of mouse peritoneal exudate cells].

The cell walls, peptidoglycan and whole cells of St. aureus inhibit the phagocytosis of sheep red blood cells in the culture of mouse peritoneal macrophages. The intraperitoneal injection of cell-wall components (peptidoglycan, teichoic acids) and whole staphylococcal cells stimulates phagocytosis at different periods after immunization, then follows suppression. Teichoic acids seem to act as agents suppressing phagocytic activity during 24 hours after immunization.