Biomaterial Database

Ultrastructure of the lung in the rat following exposure to crocidolite asbestos and quartz. 1978

K Miller, and I Webster, and R I Handfield, and M I Skikne

Lung tissue from rats that had inhaled U.I.C.C. crocidolite asbestos or quartz particles showed thickening of the interstitial tissue and the presence of collagen fibres. Aggregates of macrophages in the alveolar spaces were a dominant feature of all the sections examined from asbestos exposed rats. According to the ultrastructural studies described here, all the macrophages were mature cells, indicating that the ingested crocidolite asbestos was non-toxic. Lung sections of rats exposed to quartz particles were significantly different. Single cells were found in the alveolar spaces and many macrophages showed a characteristic pattern of vacuole formation. Other cells contained intracellular membranous lamellated bodies, similar to those found in Type II pneumocytes. Cells containing lamellated bodies were also found in the interstitial tissue. These findings suggest that the two mineral dusts have quite different biological effects on the macrophage and that the development of pulmonary fibrosis may, to some extent, be caused by a different mechanism in each instance.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008168	Lung	Either of the pair of organs occupying the cavity of the thorax that effect the aeration of the blood.	Lungs
D008264	Macrophages	The relatively long-lived phagocytic cell of mammalian tissues that are derived from blood MONOCYTES. Main types are PERITONEAL MACROPHAGES; ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES; HISTIOCYTES; KUPFFER CELLS of the liver; and OSTEOCLASTS. They may further differentiate within chronic inflammatory lesions to EPITHELIOID CELLS or may fuse to form FOREIGN BODY GIANT CELLS or LANGHANS GIANT CELLS. (from The Dictionary of Cell Biology, Lackie and Dow, 3rd ed.)	Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages,Monocyte-Derived Macrophages,Macrophage,Macrophages, Monocyte-Derived,Bone Marrow Derived Macrophages,Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophage,Macrophage, Bone Marrow-Derived,Macrophage, Monocyte-Derived,Macrophages, Bone Marrow-Derived,Macrophages, Monocyte Derived,Monocyte Derived Macrophages,Monocyte-Derived Macrophage
D008297	Male		Males
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D011650	Pulmonary Alveoli	Small polyhedral outpouchings along the walls of the alveolar sacs, alveolar ducts and terminal bronchioles through the walls of which gas exchange between alveolar air and pulmonary capillary blood takes place.	Alveoli, Pulmonary,Alveolus, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Alveolus
D011658	Pulmonary Fibrosis	A process in which normal lung tissues are progressively replaced by FIBROBLASTS and COLLAGEN causing an irreversible loss of the ability to transfer oxygen into the bloodstream via PULMONARY ALVEOLI. Patients show progressive DYSPNEA finally resulting in death.	Alveolitis, Fibrosing,Idiopathic Diffuse Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis,Fibroses, Pulmonary,Fibrosis, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Fibroses,Alveolitides, Fibrosing,Fibrosing Alveolitides,Fibrosing Alveolitis
D011791	Quartz	Quartz (SiO2). A glassy or crystalline form of silicon dioxide. Many colored varieties are semiprecious stones. (From Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)
D002449	Cell Aggregation	The phenomenon by which dissociated cells intermixed in vitro tend to group themselves with cells of their own type.	Aggregation, Cell,Aggregations, Cell,Cell Aggregations
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001194	Asbestos	Asbestos. Fibrous incombustible mineral composed of magnesium and calcium silicates with or without other elements. It is relatively inert chemically and used in thermal insulation and fireproofing. Inhalation of dust causes asbestosis and later lung and gastrointestinal neoplasms.