Phagocytic Activity of Bone-Marrow Cells

Abstract

In view of the fact that there is a vigorous opsonic response to the parenteral injection of antigenic fractions of Brucella cells, an unusual opportunity is offered for measuring the phagocytic activity of the various types of bone marrow cells collected directly from the marrow, or as they are found in the peripheral blood in myelogenous leukemia. Studies have been made on the phagocytic activity of marrow cells aspirated from the cavity of the femur of normal guinea pigs, and those immunized to Brucella, and on marrow cells in the peripheral blood of one human case of chronic myelogenous leukemia. The cells in the blood of the pigs were measured for their Brucella phagocytic activity in vitro prior to the collection and examination of marrow cells. The cells in the whole blood of normal pigs showed no phagocytic activity. The segmented and stab neutrophile forms in the whole blood of the immunized pigs were found to ingest at least SO or more bacteria; thus indicating the presence of immune opsonins in the serum for Brucella. The phagocytic activity of marrow cells from normal and immunized guinea pigs was measured in vitro in the presence of both normal guinea pig serum and serum containing immune opsonins. The phagocytic activity: of the marrow cells in the peripheral blood of the case of myelogenous leukemia was examined in the presence of the patient's serum and in the presence of a serum obtained from another person possessing a high immune opsonin titer for Brucella. The mixtures of cells, serum and bacteria, were incubated in a water-bath at 37°C. for 30 minutes before making spreads and staining.