This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Cunha, E. M Articles by Águas, A. P Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cunha, E. M Articles by Águas, A. P Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Hazardous Substances DB MERCURIC CHLORIDE MERCURY COMPOUNDS MERCURY, ELEMENTAL Medline Plus Health Information Mercury Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Mercury intake by inflammatory phagocytes: in vivo cytology of mouse macrophages and neutrophils by X-ray elemental microanalysis coupled with scanning electron microscopy

Department of Anatomy, Abel Salazar Institute for Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Lg. Prof. Abel Salazar, 2, 4099-003 Porto, Portugal; mcunha{at}icbas.up.pt

Maria João R Oliveira

Paula G Ferreira

Artur P Águas

Department of Anatomy, ICBAS (Abel Salazar Institute for Biomedical Sciences), UMIB (Unit for Multidisciplinary Investigation in Biomedicine), and IBMC (Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology), University of Porto, 4099-003 Porto, Portugal

Phagocytes remove and store mercury (Hg) that enters the body. Macrophages and granulocytes respond in opposite ways to Hg: macrophages loose cell viability, and neutrophils become protected from apoptosis. We have investigated the cytology of early intake of Hg by macrophages and neutrophils after a short period (2-4 min) of in vivo exposure to HgCl₂. The two types of phagocytes were attracted either to a subcutaneous air pouch or to the peritoneal cavity of BALB/c mice by in situ BSA injection. BSA caused, 72 hours later, inflammatory exudates where neutrophils (air-pouch cavity) or macrophages (peritoneal cavity) were the predominant cell type. A lethal dose of HgCl₂ (25 mg) was then injected in the two inflammatory cavities. The mice died 2-4 min later and the cell exudates were harvested and studied by scanning electron microscopy coupled with X-ray elemental microanalysis (SEM-XRM). More than half of the phagocytes showed ingested Hg; a higher percentage of macrophages (around 70%) than neutrophils (around 50%) were positive for the metal. Intracellular particles of Hg were spheroid and presented a small diameter (less than 20 nm). They could be seen in large numbers inside phagocytes (up to 20-30 Hg dots per cell); they were scattered throughout the cytoplasm of the cells. The ability of phagocytes to ingest Hg increased as the BSA-induced inflammation progressed. We conclude that (i) Hg is quickly ingested as small particles by phagocytes; (ii) endocytosis of Hg increases with the degree of activation of phagocytes; and (iii) phagocytes internalize Hg by pinocytosis.

Key Words: inflammation • peritoneal cells • pinocytosis • ultra-structure

Human & Experimental Toxicology, Vol. 23, No. 9, 447-453 (2004)
DOI: 10.1191/0960327104ht472oa


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?