Are alveolar macrophages translocated to the lymph nodes?

Hilar lymph nodes from 5 rabbits exposed for 3 months (5 days/week, 6 h/day) to metallic nickel dust (1.2 mg/m3) and from 2 controls were studied with electron microscopy. Some lymph node macrophages were filled with laminated bodies and had a vesiculated cytoplasm, a well developed endoplasmic reticulum and a few of them contained nickel particles as well. This means that they appeared identical to macrophages found in alveoli in nickel exposed rabbits. We propose that there is a transport of alveolar macrophages to the lymph nodes in nickel exposed rabbits.