Light microscope studies on the effects of chrysotile asbestos and fiber glass on the morphology and reticulin formation of cultured lung fibroblasts

Abstract

Chrysotile asbestos is highly cytotoxic when initially added to cultured lung fibroblasts, and this is reflected by cell death and by nuclear, nucleolar, and cytoplasmic abnormalities. Renewed growth and recovery of the culture occurs, but the subsequent deposition of reticulin is atypical. The results presented are correlated with earlier biochemical studies and subsequent electronmicroscopical investigations. Fiber glass causes little cell destruction, yet produces similar morphological changes but to a much lesser degree.