Increased RNA synthesis in macrophages during phagocytosis of antigenic materials

Abstract

Macrophages have been cultured as uniform cell populations. These cells incorporate uridine but not thymidine into their nucleic acids during the culture period. Sheep erythrocytes in the presence of macrophage cytophilic antibodies were agglutinated to rosettes and phagocytized. Cytophilic antibodies did not have to be species specific; phagocytosis was not complement-dependant. During phagocytosis, incorporation of H3-uridine into the RNA was increased. Sucrose gradient analysis showed that the increase in uridine incorporation was mainly due to increased m-RNA synthesis.