Microglia Cells in Primary Cultures Exposed to Triethyllead

Abstract

The effects of triethyllead on the morphology of brain macrophages have been studied in primary cultures of mixed glial cells from newborn rat brain. The cultures were exposed to the lead compound for two weeks at concentrations of 10^-6, 10^-7, 10^-8 and 10^-9M. Brain macrophages were studied by phase-contrast microscopy after staining for non-specific esterases and by fluorescence microscopy after immunocytochemical staining with antibody OX-42, which labels microglia cells. Exposure to 10^-6 and 10 ⁷M triethyllead caused degeneration of cells and increased the number of large phagocytic cells in the cultures. At lower concentrations of lead, the macrophage populations were very similar in exposed and in control cultures. After double-staining of microglia cells with OX-42 and oligodendroglia cells with anti-CGalT antibodies, no cells were observed to be stained by both antibodies.