Neutrophils in mucosal secretion are functionally active

The leucocytes in the secretion on the tonsillar surface have been regarded as inactivated and dying cells with no essential function in the defence of the underlying mucosa. In recent studies, we showed that in acute tonsillitis there are very few, if any, bacteria in the parenchyma, whereas in the secretion on the tonsillar surface there are huge numbers of bacteria and neutrophils, and furthermore, extensive phagocytosis. The present study was performed to elucidate the functional capacity of the neutrophils in the secretion on the tonsillar surface. Secretion samples were taken from the tonsillar surface of healthy volunteers with an imprint technique which allows transfer of secretion from the mucosa to a glass slide with maintained topographic position of the cells. The capacity of the neutrophils to respond to chemotactic stimuli and to phagocytize and further process labelled yeast particles was studied in this in vitro system. The results show that the neutrophils in the secretion have the same properties as in tissue, and also when having arrived in the secretion they can identify and attack new prey.