ARTICLE

MEASUREMENT OF RATES OF PHAGOCYTOSIS : The Use of Cellular Monolayers

Robert H. Michell ¹, Samuel J. Pancake ¹, John Noseworthy ¹, and Manfred L. Karnovsky ¹

¹ From the Department of Biological Chemistry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.

Dr. Michell's present address is Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, The University, Birmingham 15, England

A method has been developed for measuring the rate of phagocytosis rather than the quantity of particles ingested per cell when the process is virtually complete. The method, which is simpler and more rapid than those described previously, utilizes cellular monolayers, radioactive particles, and short incubation times. Under the conditions described, the rate of uptake of particles by either guinea-pig peritoneal or human blood leukocytes was proportional to both cell concentration and the time of incubation, and was independent of changes in the concentration of particles during the measurement. The particles were retained by the cells for at least 90 min. The most suitable particles so far used have been ³²P-labeled Salmonella typhimurium, and acetyl-¹⁴C- or methyl-¹⁴C-labeled starch particles. The oxidation of ¹⁴C-labeled glucose has been studied under the same conditions that were used for the assays of phagocytosis: the greatest increase in formation of ¹⁴CO₂ from glucose-1-¹⁴C occurred a few minutes after the most rapid period of phagocytosis.

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Ikada, Y., Tabata, Y. (1986). Phagocytosis of Bioactive Microspheres. Journal of Bioactive and Compatible Polymers 1: 32-46 [Abstract]  
• DePierre, J. W., Karnovsky, M. L. (1974). Ecto-Enzyme of Granulocytes: 5'-Nucleotidase. Science 183: 1096-1098 [Abstract]  

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