Phagocytic activity of rabbit pulmonary macrophages at different temperatures.

Phagocytic activity of pulmonary macrophages (PM) in contact with latex particles was studied in a group of twelve adult male rabbits, by means of in vitro phagocytosis tests at 35, 37, 39 and 41 degrees C. The phagocytic index at 35 degrees C was 14.70 (sigma = 4.5); at 37 degrees C, 19.61 (sigma = 4.7); at 39 degrees C, 22.45 (sigma = 5.1), and at 41 degrees C, 25.02 (sigma = 5.4). The value of the correlation coefficient between phagocytic index and temperature was r = 0.6022. The previous results allowed to conclude that there is lineal and direct relationship increase between phagocytic indexes and temperature.