Abstract
Abstract
Phagocytosis was studied in secondary cultures of aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) and fibroblasts from rats. These cells were cultured with colloidal carbon particles (≃ 250 Å diameter) and the uptake was followed in living cells by phase contrast microscopy. By electron microscopy, clusters of ingested particles limited by a membrane were observed in the vicinity of lysosomes and lipid droplets. By means of quantitative analysis, it was shown that the uptake of carbon particles was 2.5 times higher in SMC than in fibroblasts. Thus in subcultures, SMC can be readily differentiated from fibroblasts by phagocytic properties. These results also indicate that SMC from rat exhibit similar phagocytic properties to those described in other animal species.
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