3. Morphological parameters of the effect of interferon on mouse peritoneal macrophages

Abstract

Several macrophage functions are modulated by treatment with homologous interferon (IFN). For example, phagocytic activity of mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPM) is enhanced by moderate concentrations of mouse fibroblast interferon (MuIFN-P) (Rollag & Degré 1981). Spreading of freshly seeded macrophages on glass surfaces is stimulated by macrophage-activating agents (Mörland & Kaplan 1977), IFN inducers (Rabinovitch et al . 1977) and IFN (Schultz et al . 1978). We report here quantitative data on effect of MuIFN-β on the spreading of MPM in vitro . Cells were seeded on glass surfaces in Eagle’s MEM, and spreading was examined after incubation at 37 °C for various periods by phase-contrast light microscopy (p.c.m.). Cells, fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde, were scored as round or spread, at least 200 cells in each preparation (Rabinovitch & De Stefano 1973).