The bovine alveolar macrophage. 1. Isolation, in vitro cultivation, ultrastructure, and phagocytosis

Abstract

The bovine alveolar macrophage (BAM) was isolated in large numbers from lung washings and could be cultivated in vitro up to 63 days in medium 199, 20% foetal calf serum (FCS). Freshly isolated cells examined by electron microscopy (EM) were similar to those of the mouse. Cultured BAM prepared for EM were larger than fresh cells and contained discrete packets of homogenous material, possibly lipid. The BAM phagocytosed Staphylococcus aureus (FDA209P, type 42D) but the percentage of cells phagocytosing was reduced when FCS was not present, when cells were infected for 30 min compared with 45 min and when 2 × 107 CFU/ml compared with 2 × 108 CFU/ml were used to infect the cells.