Evaluation of neutrophil function in female goats

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) were isolated from the blood of healthy adult female goats on each of 3 consecutive days. The PMN isolated were evaluated, using random migration, chemotaxis, Staphylococcus aureus ingestion, cytochrome C reduction, iodination, and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity assays. Over the 3 days, mean values for each of the assays ranged as follows: area of random migration, 11.3 to 19.9 mm2; chemotactic index, 6.4 to 11; chemotactic difference, 2.8 to 4.2 mm; S aureus ingestion, 18.3% to 26.1% ingested; cytochrome C reduction, 2.7 to 3.2 nmoles of O2- produced/well; iodination, 19.4 to 25.1 nmoles of NaI/10(7) PMN/h; and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity 59% to 90% 51Cr released. Significant (P less than 0.05) day-to-day variations were found for all assays. Parallel increases and decreases for all test results on a per day basis indicated a common denominator influencing cell functional status rather than variability inherent in the assays themselves. Alterations induced in the cells during the cell isolation procedure were considered a probable cause.