PROFILES OF CHICKEN MACROPHAGE EFFECTOR FUNCTIONS

In contrast to the mammalian system, avian species lack the so-called ''resident'' or ''harvestable'' macrophage population in the abdominal exudate. However, macrophages can be recruited into the chicken's abd ominal cavity (presumably from the blood monocyte pool) if an inflamma tory agent such as Sephadex is injected. The kinetics of inflammatory cell recruitment in terms of time, cell type, and state of activation to perform a particular effector function is currently an active area of research. This report will provide information on several chicken m acrophage effector functions, including in vivo chemotaxis, phagocytos is, bacterial uptake and killing, biosynthesis of nitric oxide and var ious enzymes, and monokines such as interleukin-1 and granulocyte colo ny-stimulating factor.