Characteristics of human mononuclear phagocytes

In this study human mononuclear phagocytes from the bone marrow (promonocytes and monocytes), peripheral blood monocytes, and tissue macrophages from the skin and the peritoneal cavity were studied with respect to their morphological, cytochemical, and functional characteristics, cell surface receptors, and 3H-thymidine incorporation in vitro. The results show similarities between mononuclear phagocytes of the three body compartments with respect to esterase staining, the presence of peroxidase-positive granules, the presence of IgG and C receptors, and pinocytic and phagocytic activity. Promonocytes are the most immature mononuclear phagocytes identified in human bone marrow, and since about 80% of these cells incorporate 3H-thymidine, they are actively dividing cells. Monocytes, whether in bone marrow or the peripheral blood, and both skin and peritoneal macrophages label minimally with 3H-thymidine and thus are nondividing cells. Since the characteristics of mononuclear phagocytes in man and mouse do not diverge greatly, it is probable that the cell sequence based on in vitro and in vivo 3H-thymidine labeling studies in the mouse holds for man as well. The successive stages of development of the human mononuclear phagocyte cell line will then be as follows: monoblasts (not yet characterized in man) divide to form promonocytes, and these cells in turn divide and give rise to monocytes that do not divide further; they leave the bone marrow, circulate in the peripheral blood, and finally become macrophages in the various tissues.