Abstract
Abstract
The elemental content of pulmonary macrophages obtained by bronchopulmonary lavage from 13 healthy adult volunteers was assessed. Subcellular localization of elements was accomplished using energy-dispersive X-ray analysis in the scanning transmission microscope. Silicon, aluminum, iron, and sulfur were identified and localized to subcellular particles. These observations indicate that the elemental content of alveolar macrophages lavaged from living individuals can be determined by microanalysis and that the alveolar macrophages of normal persons retain potentially toxic elements.
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