TISSUE INTERACTION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THYMUS LYMPHOCYTES

Abstract

The exposure of cultivated mouse macrophages to sucrose (0.009–0.03 M) leads to the formation of large phase- and electron-lucent, acid phosphatase-positive vacuoles in the perinuclear region. The vacuolization process and the uptake of sucrose-¹⁴C is blocked by inhibitors of pinocytosis and stimulated by calf serum in the medium. These results suggest the uptake of sucrose by pinocytosis and its subsequent segregation and storage in secondary lysosomes. The addition of sucrose also increases the total content of three macrophage lysosomal hydrolases.