[Structuro-functional coniophage transformation as a response to fibrogenic dust and the possibility of its medicinal correction]. / Strukturno-funktsional'naia perestroika koniofaga pri vozdeistvii fibrogennoi pyli i vozomozhnosti ee medikamentoznoi korrektsii.

Electron microscopic and cytochemical studies indicate that structural and functional changes in coniophage occur under the influence of fibrogenous dust. These changes consiste in fragmentation of single phagolysosomes containing dust particles with the release of the contents into the cytoplasm, disorders in the structure of mitochondria, granular endoplasmic reticulum, and plate apparatus. These changes lead to a decline in the bioenergetics and biosynthetic function of coniophage. At a late stage, a damage of phagolysosomal apparatus as a whole causes autolysis of the cell. A principal possibility of directed effect on the membrane structures of coniophage for the purpose of influencing the initial mechanisms of silicosis development is demonstrated.

[Effect of coniophage decomposition products on the biological activity of fibroblasts]. / Vliianie produktov raspada koniofaga na biologicheskuiu aktivnost' fibroblasta

Cytochemical studies showed that destroyed coinophages, which phagocytized cytoxic and fibrogenic quartz dust, activated the synthetic function of rat fibroblasts when added to the culture medium. Inert talcum dust used under similar experimental conditions failed to produce any noticable changes in comparison with control studies.