INTRACELLULAR AND EXTRACELLULAR TRANSPORT OF PERFLUORO CARBON EMULSION FROM SUBCUTANEOUS TISSUE TO REGIONAL LYMPHATICS

The aim of this study was to examine the transport mechanism of colloi dal particles from subcutaneous tissue to lymphatics. The mechanism of lymph transport was studied in leg prenodal lymphatics of anesthetize d rabbits using Imagent(R)LN (60%W/V perfluorooctyl bromide [PFOB] emu lsion). Extracellular (dispersed particles) and intracellular (phagocy tosed particles by macrophages) PFOB transport was measured in lymph f luid after 0.1 ml injectipn of fluorescently labeled PFOB emulsion int o the dorsal skin of the rabbits foot. Samples were collected from can nulated lower leg prenodal lymphatics. Particles of PFOB emulsion were observed by using a fluorescent technique. The foot/leg were moved pa ssively in a rotary direction at 0.3 Hz. Extracellular and intracellul ar PFOB could be determined in the lymph samples. These findings indic ate that both intracellular and extracellular transport mechanisms pla y a role in the uptake of colloidal particles from interstitial tissue to lymphatics.