QUANTITATIVE PHAGOCYTOSIS BY HUMAN POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES - USE OF RADIOLABELED EMULSIONS TO MEASURE RATE OF PHAGOCYTOSIS

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 32  (4) , 491-497
Abstract
A new micro-method for the quantitative measurement of phagocytosis by neutrophils is described. The material used for phagocytosis consists of a radioactive oil emulsion coated with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide. Uptake of radioactive material is a function of cell number, duration of incubation, dilution of serum used for opsonization, content of lipopolysaccharide and concentration of emulsion. This method can be used to quantify rapidly and precisely phagocytosis rates of as few as 5 .times. 104-106 polymorphonuclear leukocytes and the opsonic activity of 10 .mu.l serum.