[Characteristics of the reaction of the macrophage lysosomal apparatus in guinea pigs immunized with a live and a killed Br. abortus culture].

Accumulation of fluorescent antigen-antibody complex in the cytoplasmic granules at various time intervals after the phagocytosis of brucellae treated with brucella fluorescent serum was studied in the peritoneal macrophage culture of guinea pigs immunized with live and killed brucella culture. The activity of the lysosomic system was also studied. Immunization with live brucellae led to an increase in the acid phosphatase activity, to an increased rate of destruction of phagocytosed spheroplasts with fluorescent antibodies fixed on their surface, to a more rapid accumulation of fluorescent antigen-antibody complex in secondary lysosomes and to a more marked humoral response than the immunization with the killed culture. Changes in macrophages correlated with positive skin allergic reactions, and were apparently associated with increased sensitivity of a delayed type.