Abstract
Although chemotactic differences between newborn (NB) and adult (AD) neutrophils (PMNs) are well documented, the cellular basis of this difference is not known and morphologic differences have not been described. PMNs were separated from anticoagulated venous blood of 10 AD controls and the cord blood of 10 term NBs. The PMNs were suspended in protein free balanced salt solutions with and without Ca and Mg and cytocentrifuge preparations were made. The percentages of PMNs with ≥ 3 membrane projections were determined by counting 200-300 PMNs and these PMNs were considered blebbed cells.
In the absence of Ca and Mg the mean percentage of blebbed NB PMNs was significantly less than that of AD PMNs (p<.005). Ca and Mg reduced blebbing in AD PMNs to NB levels. These findings suggest that NB PMNs have an inability to undergo conformational membrane changes in response to alterations in Ca and Mg balance. Since membrane regulation of Ca and Mg flux is important in chemotaxis, a NB PMN membrane abnormality affecting this flux may be the cellular basis of the NB PMN chemotactic defect.
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Mease, A., Burgess, D., Fischer, G. et al. 715 DECREASED HYPOCALCEMIC AND HYPOMAGNESEMIC BLEBBING OF NEWBORN NEUTROPHILS. Pediatr Res 12 (Suppl 4), 483 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00720
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00720