Effect of two sorts of quartz particles with different surfaces on some cellular systems was studied.
Two handred micrograms of quartz particles were added to 5 million monocytes in Tyrode's solution and the cells were incubated for 1 hour at 37°C. Estimated value of the tetrazolium reducing capacity of monocytes showed after incubation constantly 50% inhibi-tion by adding NaOH treated quartz, while it was not effected by ground for 100 hours.
Succinoxidase activity, endogeneus respiration, tetrazolium reducing capacity of liver homogenate and succinoxidase activity of liver mitchondria were not affected by two sorts of quartz dusts.
Ehrlich ascites tumor cells did not phagocytose both of these quartz particles and no inhibitory effect was estimated with tetrazolium reducing capacity and cell counting.
Phagocytic potency of polymorphonuclear leucocyte was less than that of monocyte was faster than that of polymorphonuclear cells.
From above results, it may be assumed that the toxic action of quartz particles is specific to phagocytic cells and the monocyte is damaged after phagocytosis of quartz particles.
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