The monocyte-macrophage system in granulomatous inflammation

Abstract

Granulomas may be immunologically induced or non-immunologically induced. In immunologically induced granulomas cells of the monocyte-macrophage series take on the appearance of epitheloid cells. Ultrastructurally epithelioid cells may have a secretory appearance with much rough endoplasmic reticulum or take on highly degenerate vesicular appearance. Other epithelioid cells look like activated macrophages. Secretory epithelioid cells may be found associated with acute local inflammation as in borderline tuberculoid leprosy in reaction, the lepromin reaction, following injection of BCG vaccine and in experimental zirconium granulomas. In these situations there may also be strong histological and biochemical evidence of increased fibroblast activity and collagen synthesis. It is suggested that these cells are actively secreting a fibroblast-activating factor. Epithelioid cells may lose their Fc receptors, undifferentiated macrophages in lepromatous leprosy can lose their C3 receptors. It is suggested that in a number of situations granuloma formation may be associated with complement activation through the alternative pathway as in the case of mycobacterial granulomas. Toxic granulomas produced by metals may be caused by C3 being split by plasmin after conversion from plasminogen by activation of the Hageman factor.