PHAGOCYTOSIS OF BACTERIA IN THE ABSENCE OF ANTIBODY AND THE EFFECT OF PHYSICAL SURFACE

Abstract

The present experiments have shown that phagocytosis occurs in the absence of specific antibody and in the absence of a "suitable physical surface", as further that the presence of a rough surface does not increase the in vitro phagocytosis of pneumococci by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. This held true during repetition of Wood's experiments, as well as when more controlled quantitative techniques were employed, when conditions were made optimal for phagocytosis by increasing bacterial concentrations, and when blood leukocytes were substituted for exudate leukocytes. Evidence has been presented previously that the stimulation of phagocytosis of E. coli, B. abortus, and Type IV Pneumococcus, after contact with filter paper or an active compound present in filter paper, is a chemical effect rather than a physical effect. This type of stimulation did not occur with the Type I A5 Pneumococcus. The leukocyte of the circulating blood was found to be definitely superior to the exudate leukocyte in phagocytic capacity, under all the experimental conditions tested.