Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Isolation of Leukocytes from the Human Maternal-fetal Interface
08:19

Isolation of Leukocytes from the Human Maternal-fetal Interface

Published on: May 21, 2015

Leucocyte phagocytosis and circulating immune complexes in mothers after child birth

O G Arinola1, K Obisesan, L S Salimonu

  • 1Department of Chemical Pathology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

West African Journal of Medicine
|December 14, 2004
PubMed

Leucocyte phagocytosis and level of circulating immune complexes (CICs) were measured in pregnant women at the three trimesters of pregnancy and in mothers 24-48 hours after child birth to evaluate the influence of pregnancy on leucocyte functions. The mothers were divided into gestation groups depending on the ages of their pregnancies as 1st trimester, 2nd trimester and 3rd trimester. The result shows that total white blood cell count (WBC), lymphocytes (B- and T-lymphocytes) and circulating immune complexes were high in pregnant women (independent of gestational ages) and mothers 24-48 hrs after child birth compared with non-pregnant controls. In contrast, mean percentage migration index (% M.I.), percentage candidacidal index (% C. I) and H2O2 production were reduced in pregnant women and mothers after child birth compared with non-pregnant controls. When test groups (pregnant women and mothers after child birth) were compared, women after child birth had least mean % C.I and %M.I while pregnant women at 1st trimester had highest mean %C. I., %M. I. and highest level of H2O2 production. Within the gestational groups, pregnant women at 3rd trimester had higher %M. I. compared with those in 2nd trimester while those in 2nd trimester had lower %M. I., %C. I. and H2O2 production compared with women at 1st trimester. Our finding shows that cell mediated immune responses vary between trimesters therefore susceptibility of pregnant women to different pathogens may vary with gestation.

More Related Videos

Isolation of Leukocytes from the Murine Tissues at the Maternal-Fetal Interface07:51

Isolation of Leukocytes from the Murine Tissues at the Maternal-Fetal Interface

Published on: May 21, 2015

Isolation of Leukocytes from Human Breast Milk for Use in an Antibody-dependent Cellular Phagocytosis Assay of HIV Targets08:12

Isolation of Leukocytes from Human Breast Milk for Use in an Antibody-dependent Cellular Phagocytosis Assay of HIV Targets

Published on: September 6, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells01:15

Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells

Common myeloid progenitors (CMPs) are oligopotent cells that can differentiate into granulocytes and macrophages. Granulocytes and macrophages are essential for protecting the body against bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. They migrate from the bone marrow into the circulating blood to reach specific tissue sites where they differentiate and help in immune surveillance. However, they survive only for a few days and must be continuously made available to the organism to maintain a robust...
Transcytosis of IgG01:15

Transcytosis of IgG

Transcytosis is the process in which molecules are internalized by endocytosis, transported across the cell, and released through exocytosis from the opposite end of the cell. Molecules such as insulin, immunoglobulins, and certain nutrients are transferred through the recycling endosomes by recycling and transcytosis.
IgG molecules from a mother undergo transcytosis starting around 13 weeks of gestation. The amount of IgG transferred and entering the fetal blood circulation increases with...
Structure and Function of Leukocytes01:21

Structure and Function of Leukocytes

An adult in good health typically has between 4,500 and 11,000 leukocytes, or white blood cells, per microliter of blood, which constitutes about 1% of the total blood volume. Unlike red blood cells, white blood cells contain a nucleus and other cellular organelles but do not have hemoglobin. Most white blood cells reside in connective tissues, particularly in lymphatic organs such as the lymph nodes, with only a small fraction present in circulating blood.
White blood cells protect the body...
Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes01:25

Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes

Immune surveillance is an integral part of the innate immune system, involving the continuous monitoring of peripheral tissues to detect and respond to pathogens, infected cells, or cancerous cells. This surveillance is conducted primarily by natural killer (NK) cells and phagocytes, which employ distinct but complementary mechanisms to identify and eliminate threats.
Natural Killer Cells: The Fast Responders
NK cells are large granular lymphocytes found in the blood and lymphatic system. These...
Development of Immunocompetence01:22

Development of Immunocompetence

The initiation of cell-mediated immunity can be observed as early as the third month of fetal growth, with active antibody-mediated immunity following approximately one month later.
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
Hypersensitivity Reactions: Immune-Complex Reactions01:19

Hypersensitivity Reactions: Immune-Complex Reactions

Type III hypersensitivity reactions occur when antigen–antibody complexes form and activate the complement system. Normally, these complexes help the clearance of antigens by phagocytes and red blood cells. However, when large numbers of immune complexes are present, they can deposit in tissues—particularly in the walls of blood vessels—leading to inflammation and tissue injury. These deposits trigger complement activation and neutrophil recruitment, resulting in serum sickness, a systemic...