[The morphofunctional heterogeneity of the alveolar macrophages in disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis].

Morphofunctional heterogeneity of macrophagal elements of bronchoalveolar lavage was investigated cytologically, cytochemically and electron-microscopically in 230 guinea-pigs with generalised tuberculosis and 52 patients with active disseminated tuberculosis. The above clinical and experimental material allowed the authors to reveal common features of the macrophagal reaction, cytochemical and ultrastructural characteristics of macrophagal elements which are of importance for physiological diagnosis and prognosis.