HBsAg uptake by macrophages in vitro: an immunofluorescence study.

The uptake of HBsAg by in vitro cultured macrophages was studied by immunofluorescence method. Intracytoplasmic fluorescent particles appeared 3 h after the contact with HBsAg-positive serum, while after 24-48 h only a few cells contained these particles, which are probably destroyed within the cytoplasm.