Murine pulmonary macrophages: evaluation of lung lavage fluids, miniaturized monolayers, and candidacidal activity

Optimal yields of pulmonary macrophages (PuM) from lavage of normal murine lungs have been obtained by the study of several different lung lavage fluids. Approximately 1 X 10(6) PuM can be consistently recovered from mice weighing 20 to 30 g, using 15 ml of phosphate buffered saline with 0.1% EDTA, with or without 10% fetal calf serum at 37 degrees C. Use of Terasaki tray wells for monolayer formation has allowed a relatively small number of cells (75,000) to be used to prepare multiple replicate wells from each mouse. Simultaneous functional comparisons with other cell types, e.g., peritoneal macrophages (PeM) were performed using this practical and economical system. Data on the phagocytosis and killing of Candida albicans by PuM and PeM are presented as evidence of the utility of this miniaturized system.