Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Visualizing the Early Stages of Phagocytosis
08:04

Visualizing the Early Stages of Phagocytosis

Published on: February 3, 2017

[Phagocytosis by neutrophils and monocytes in children with recurrent infections]

M Jovanović, M Vislavski, M Jovanović

    Srpski Arhiv Za Celokupno Lekarstvo
    |January 1, 1994
    PubMed

    Insights

    Neutrophil phagocytosis, crucial for fighting infections, was impaired in children with severe, recurrent infections due to opsonization issues. Monocyte phagocytosis remained unaffected in these pediatric patients.

    Area of Science:

    • Immunology
    • Pediatric Infectious Diseases

    Background:

    • Recurrent infections in children can indicate underlying immune system dysfunction.
    • Phagocytosis by neutrophils and monocytes is a key innate immune defense mechanism.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate phagocytosis function in neutrophils and monocytes of children with recurrent infections.
    • To correlate phagocytic capacity with infection severity, frequency, age, and localization.

    Main Methods:

    • Assessed neutrophil and monocyte phagocytosis in 152 children with recurrent infections and 50 healthy controls.
    • Utilized modified Miller opsonization test and Vujanovitsh monocyte phagocytosis test.
    • Categorized patients by infection severity (A/B), age groups, and infection site.

    Main Results:

    • Significantly decreased neutrophil phagocytosis observed in children with severe/frequent infections (Group B), older children (>2 years), and those with upper respiratory or multifocal infections.
    • Opsonization defects were the primary cause of reduced neutrophil phagocytosis in most affected children.
    • No significant differences in monocyte phagocytosis were found between patients and controls.

    Conclusions:

    • Neutrophil phagocytosis, particularly opsonization, is compromised in children experiencing severe and recurrent infections.
    • Monocyte phagocytosis appears to be preserved, suggesting a specific neutrophil dysfunction.
    • Phagocytic disorders were identified in a small subset of patients, often transient, but sometimes permanent due to primary opsonization issues.

    More Related Videos

    Development and Identification of a Novel Subpopulation of Human Neutrophil-derived Giant Phagocytes In Vitro10:05

    Development and Identification of a Novel Subpopulation of Human Neutrophil-derived Giant Phagocytes In Vitro

    Published on: January 25, 2017

    Use of a Monocyte Monolayer Assay to Evaluate Fcγ Receptor-mediated Phagocytosis06:27

    Use of a Monocyte Monolayer Assay to Evaluate Fcγ Receptor-mediated Phagocytosis

    Published on: January 2, 2017

    Related Concept Videos

    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...
    Phagocytosis00:41

    Phagocytosis

    Cells pull particles inward and engulf them in spherical vesicles in an energy-requiring process called endocytosis. Phagocytosis (“cellular eating”) is one of three major types of endocytosis. Cells use phagocytosis to take in large objects—such as other cells (or their debris), bacteria, and even viruses.The objective of phagocytosis is often destruction. Cells use phagocytosis to eliminate unwelcome visitors, like pathogens (e.g., viruses and bacteria). It is perhaps unsurprising, that many...
    Phagocytosis00:41

    Phagocytosis

    Cells pull particles inward and engulf them in spherical vesicles in an energy-requiring process called endocytosis. Phagocytosis ("cellular eating") is one of three major types of endocytosis. Cells use phagocytosis to take in large objects, such as other cells (or their debris), bacteria, and even viruses.
    The objective of phagocytosis is often destruction. Cells use phagocytosis to eliminate unwelcome visitors, like pathogens (e.g., viruses and bacteria). Many immune system cells, including...
    Cells of the Innate Immune Response01:28

    Cells of the Innate Immune Response

    The innate immune response is an immediate and non-specific response against pathogens, acting swiftly to prevent the spread of infections. The primary cells involved in this response are phagocytes and natural killer (NK) cells.
    Phagocytes
    Phagocytes police the peripheral tissues by removing cellular debris and responding to the invasion of foreign substances or pathogens. Many phagocytes attack and remove microorganisms even before lymphocytes detect them. The human body has two general...
    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...
    Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens01:31

    Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

    The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
    Phagocytes
    Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...