Because there is an accumulation of macrophages in the Bowman's space during human and experimental glomerulonephritis, we have studied the binding of [3H]-uridine labeled macrophages to isolated glomeruli. Binding was related to the glomerular protein and macrophage concentrations, temperature, time of incubation, and was a saturable process. Macrophage adherence depended on glomerular lipoxygenase activity but not on glomerular cyclooxygenase activity since preincubation of glomeruli with nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) inhibited this phenomenon whereas preincubation with indomethacin was ineffective. Glomeruli interacted with macrophages in converting arachidonic acid (C20:4) to prostaglandins (PG) since productions of 6 keto-PGF1 alpha, TXB2, and PGD2 by glomeruli and macrophages incubated in combination were much greater than the sums of their respective productions by glomeruli and macrophages incubated separately. Macrophages were the source of the supplementary synthesis of PG which was abolished when these cells were pretreated with aspirin. Stimulation of macrophages by glomeruli was blunted by pretreatment of glomeruli with NDGA. Production of PG and of 12-HETE by macrophages was stimulated by a lipid extract of glomeruli containing the oxygenated metabolites of C20:4. Direct addition of 12-HPETE also stimulated macrophage functions. These data suggest that macrophage attachment to glomeruli and macrophage stimulation in the presence of glomeruli depend on glomerular lipoxygenase activity.