Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the morphology of the connective tissue macrophages in digestive and respiratory systems, alveolar macrophages in lung and Kupffer cells in liver with light and electron microscopes, and to compare their histologic structures in order to observe their shared and different morphologic properties.
Materials and Methods: In this study, eight male rats (200-280g) obtained from Inonu University Laboratory Animals Research Center were used. Six rats were injected with 3 ml trypan blue intraperitoneally everyday for seven days. Two of the rats were used as controls and no injections were
performed. The tissues collected from the sacrified rats were fixed, processed and stained with routine techniques and examined with light and electron microscopes.
Results: Macrophages were seen as large cells containing cytoplasmic blue granules, located in the submucosa and adventitia of tongue, sophagus, small and large intestine and in periton. In liver Kupffer cells were seen as small cells with blue granules located perisinusoidally. Macrophages were detected as small cells in trachea and lungs located around bronch, bronchiole and blood vessels. With electron microscope, they were observed as oval and rounded cells with irregular plasmalemma. Kupffer cells were star like cells showing short and long cytoplasmic extensions.
Conclusion: We concluded that digestive and respiratory system macrophages were morphologically similar.
Key Words: Macrophage, Rat, Light Microscope, Electron Microscope.
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