Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannan inhibits the pinocytosis of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) by resident, thioglycollate-,proteose peptone-, and Corynebacterium parvurn-elicited macrophages from 30 to 70% when 1 mgiml HRP is used, and 65 to 87% when 250 p@ml HRP is used. In contrast, HRP uptake by J774 cells, a macrophage cell line reported to have little mannose receptor activity, is inhibited only about 25% by mannan. HRP uptake by resident and thioglycollate-elicited (thio) macrophages is also inhibited 34 and 66% by addition of EGTA to the medium and 55 and 79% by trypsin treatment of the macrophages, respectively. The inhibitory effect of ECTA can be reversed by 1 mM excess Cad+. High extracellular concentrations of Ca", in the range of 10-20 mM, however, inhibit pinocytosis in resident macrophages by about 50%. Sucrose uptake by resident macrophages is not appreciably affected by mannan. These results support the hypothesis that HRP uptake is mediated by the macrophage mannoseiN-acetylglucosamine receptor. PMA stimulates fluid-phase pinocytosis of HRP by thio macrophages but does not affect receptor-mediated uptake of HRP, while the combination of adenosine, homocysteine, and erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3nonylj adenine (EHNAj selectively inhibits bulk-phase uptake by thio macrophages. ' c, 1983 ALAN R. LISS. INC