Basic Characterization of Japanese Quail Peritoneal Macrophages Induced by Thioglycollate

Abstract

This paper describes the morphology, phagocytic capacity, and response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of peritoneal macrophages (Mφ) from Japanese quail, following induction by thioglycollate.
1) Analysis by transmission and scanning electron microscopy : Similar to chicken Mφ, non-activated (4°C) quail Mφ had many gathering processes on the cell surface. Activated (37°C) quail Mφ exhibited a few long, extended pseudopodia. The cell nuclei of both non-activated and activated quail Mφ differed from chicken cell nuclei in that they contained one large and several smaller heterochromatic bodies, which were attached to the nuclear membrane and other quail somatic cells.
2) Phagocytic activity for sheep red blood cells (SRBC) : The phagocytic activity for SRBC of Mφ from non-immunized quail (niMφ) was significantly less than that of Mφ from SRBC-immunized quail (imMφ) (p<0.05). However, the phagocytic activity of niMφ significantly enhanced by treatment of the SRBC with anti-SRBC quail serum (p<0.05). In contrast, the phagocytic activity of imMφ did not change following treatment of the SRBC with anti-serum. These results suggest that the phagocytic activity of quail Mφ for SRBC is enhanced by opsonization, but that levels of the opsonin receptor on the cell surface of Mφ might be decreased by immunization with SRBC.
3) Stimulation with LPS : The activity of LPS-stimulated Mφ (MTT assay) was greatest 0.5 hours after cultivation began. Following LPS stimulation, quail Mφ produced molecules of 44.5kDa and 73.3kDa, probably interleukin-6 (IL-6) and carrier protein complexes.