Evaluation of a cytocentrifuge method for measuring neutrophil granulocyte chemotaxis

An in vitro method for the assessment of neutrophil granulocyte chemotaxis employing a cytocentrifuge has been evaluated. The cytocentrifuge is used to directly sediment leukocytes on a Millipore filter, and thus (1) eliminates errors due to abnormal or unequal settling of the cells and (2) eliminates the need for serum, plasma, or albumin on the cell side of the chemotactic chamber to obtain optimal chemotaxis. In addition, other advantages of the method are that it requires smaller volumes of blood, less handling of the cells, and less time is required for visual counting of the neutrophils. The method has been utilized to assess chemotactic activity of neutrophils from 80 control subjects and over 100 patients with various diseases and to study the effects of various pharmacologic agents on neutrophil chemotactic responsiveness.