Viability of granulocytes obtained by filtration leukapheresis

Nylon filtration alters the morphology of human granulocytes and slightly reduces their phagocytic ability as measured by activation of the hexose monophosphate shunt (HMS) pathway of glucose metabolism. In addition, the ability of rat granulocytes to circulate in granulocytopenic rats is reduced, and this is not attributed to HMS activation during filtration. The activation of the hexose monophosphate shunt is related to the size of the particles rather than to the nature of the material.