Eosinophilic crystals may be found in the lungs and alveolar macrophages of normal mice and in mice with various diseases including experimental oxygen toxicity and Toxocara canis infection. Mice with Chediak-Higashi syndrome may have crystals within granulocytes and monocytes. Alveolar macrophage crystals are also reported in lungs of human smokers. In most cases of murine pneumonia with eosinophilic crystals, the cause of the crystal formation is unknown. The motheaten phenotype is so named because of an associated dermatitis and patchy alopecia.
Motheaten mice are severely immunodeficient and exhibit systemic autoimmunity.
Mice homozygous for the motheaten gene develop a fatal interstitial pneumonia with eosinophilic crystals within alveolar macrophages. Homozygotes die by 7-8 weeks of age, while heterozyotes are unaffected. The motheaten mouse may be used as a model for immunodeficiency, autoimmunity, and interstitial lung diseases. Crystalline excrements in bronchitis and cholecystitis of mice. Molecular basis of the motheaten phenotype.