Ultrastructural Characteristics of the Alveolar Phagocytic Cells from Patients with Various Forms of Chronic Bronchitis

Development of chronic bronchitis is accompanied by progressive fibrosis of the bronchial wall. Synchronously, reactivity of phagocytic cells of the alveolar tissue changes. During early (chronic catarrhal bronchitis) and developed (chronic granulating bronchitis, chronic purulent bronchitis, and chronic catarrhal-fibrotic bronchitis) stages in the development of chronic bronchitis, structural signs of activation of phagocytic cells, and an increase of proliferative and metabolic activity of the alveolar macrophages were noted. However, this activation is followed by their depression in chronic fibrotic bronchitis. Data obtained show that in the development of chronic bronchitis, activation followed by depression of cell effectors takes place in the respiratory tissue.