Adhesion properties of human alveolar macrophages with respect to extracellular matrix components and chemotactic agonists

Adherence has an essential impact on the differentiation and activation of tissue dwelling monocytes/macrophages. We have considered the effect of selected chemotactic agonists (fMLP, RANTES, IL-8) on the adhesion properties of human alveolar macrophages prepared by bronchoalveolar lavage. The macrophages were co-incubated in buffer alone or buffer supplemented with respective agonist, for different time points, in culture wells precoated with albumin, vitronectin and fibronectin, respectively. The macrophages displayed a gradual increase in adhesion to all three surfaces and discriminated between the different matrix components, but did not respond to the selected agonists with increased adhesion.