Chemotactic and random movement of human newborn monocytes

Boyden's method was used to assess the chemotactic and random mobility of monocytes from healthy newborns, children aged 3--8 years, and adults aged 20--28. Monocyte chemotaxis in the newborn was decreased in comparison with that of control groups. No difference was observed in random cell mobility in the groups examined. Monocyte chemotactic activity in infants over 3 years of age was the same as in adults. According to our results, the leading-front and lower-surface evaluation methods, in newborns at least, do not give the same information on chemotaxis.