Nature 182, 674 (06 September 1958); doi:10.1038/182674a0

Effect of Various Natural Steroids on the Phagocytic Activity of the Reticulo-Endothelial System

D. L. J. BILBEY & T. NICOL

Department of Anatomy, King's College, London, W.C.2. July 11.

IT was initially observed by Nicol¹ that, following the administration of strogenic hormones, there was stimulation of the activity of phagocytic cells in the endometrium. This work was extended later to include both natural and synthetic strogens^2–4, and these findings indicated that in both male and female animals strogens possess a strong stimulating influence on the reticulo-endothelial system, which results in the appearance of large numbers of macrophages in the spleen, liver and lymph nodes, and the mobilization of these macrophages into the circulation. In the above researches, the try pan blue method was used to assess the activity of the reticulo-endothelial phagocytes. These results have since been confirmed by the carbon method, and it has been found that the strongest stimulants of the reticulo-endothelial system possess high strogenicity^5,6.

1. Nicol, T. , Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., 58, 449 (1935).
2. Nicol, T. , and Helmy, I. D. , Nature, 167, 199 (1951). | PubMed | ISI | ChemPort |
3. Nicol, T. , and Abou-Zikry, A. , Brit. Med. J., i, 133 (1953).
4. Nicol, T. , Helmy, I. D. , and Abou-Zikry, A. , Brit. J. Surg., 40, 166 (1952). | PubMed | ISI | ChemPort |
5. Bilbey, D. L. J. , Ph.D. thesis, London (1957).
6. Nicol, T. , Bilbey, D. L. J. , and Ware, C. C. , Nature, 181, 1538 (1958). | PubMed | ISI | ChemPort |
7. Halpern, B. N. , Benacerraf, B. , and Biozzi, G. , Brit. J. Exp. Path., 34, 426 (1953). | PubMed | ISI | ChemPort |
8. Nicol, T. , Snell, R. S. , and Bilbey, D. L. J. , Brit. Med. J., ii, 800 (1956).