Experience with a skin chamber technique for leucocyte migration studies.

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Dermatology
• Inflammation Research

Background:

• Leukocyte migration is crucial in inflammatory responses.
• Understanding in vivo leukocyte behavior is essential for inflammation research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate an in vivo skin chamber method for assessing leukocyte migration.
• To investigate factors influencing leukocyte migration in vivo and in vitro.
• To characterize functional changes in leukocytes within an inflammatory focus.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an in vivo skin chamber technique with suction-induced lesions.
• Assessed leukocyte accumulation, migration reproducibility, and functional assays.
• Compared in vivo and in vitro leukocyte migration under various conditions.
• Analyzed leukocyte function including chemotaxis, bactericidal capacity, and chemiluminescence.

Main Results:

• The skin chamber method showed good reproducibility and no adverse effects.
• Leukocyte accumulation correlated with lesion area.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibited in vivo but not in vitro migration.
• Activated serum and LTB4 attracted leukocytes in vivo and in vitro.
• Leukocytes from skin chambers exhibited chemotactic deactivation and reduced bactericidal capacity.
• Chemiluminescent responses were altered in leukocytes from inflammatory sites.

Conclusions:

• The in vivo skin chamber is a viable method for studying leukocyte migration.
• Inflammatory factors significantly alter leukocyte function in vivo.
• Exposure to chemotactic factors in an inflammatory focus likely drives these functional changes.