Granulocyte kinetics in donors undergoing filtration leukapheresis

Normal blood donors undergoing filtration leukapheresis (FL) have a profound transient neutropenia early in the procedure which is followed by a "rebound" neutrophilia. This phenomenon occurs in unstimulated donors as well as in donors pretreated with either prednisone or dexamethasone. The mechanism for development of the neutropenia was investigated in volunteers throug a nylon filter at 37 C, a significant but transient neutropenia was observed. Plasma rendered cell and stroma-free achieved the same result indicating that plasma alone, when exposed to nylon fibers, is capable of producing neutropenia.