The effect of antibody on the migratory pattern of peritoneal macrophages.

51Cr-labeled peritoneal macrophages which interiorized sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) injected i.p. into syngeneic recipients accumulate in a typical fashion in different organs. The pattern of distribution can be altered by two maneuvers--when animals at the time of macrophages transfer are injected i.v. with cytophilic antibody, or when macrophages are fed with IgG-SRBC complexes instead of native SRBC. The possible role of modified migratory pattern of macrophages in antibody-induced suppression of the immune response is discussed.