Abstract
The sedimentary cells of bronchoalveolar lavage-fluid from 3 rhesus monkeys given Paraquat (PQ) experimentally were morphologically studied. Two of them (No.1 and No.2) died on day 6 following a single injection of PQ (2mg/kg, S.C.). The third (No.3) was given 6 doses of PQ during a 53 day period to produce PQ-induced pulmonary injury. In this animal, two peaks were observed in cellular density during the experimental period. These were mainly dependent upon the increase of neutrophils and type III and type IV pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAM). These types of increases in PAM are suggestive that, by their activation, many kinds of biologically active substances, e. g. superoxide and lysosomal enzymes, which might have some relationship to the pathogenesis of PQ-induced pulmonary injury, are released.
