Assessment of neutrophil function--II. Laboratory tests of neutrophil function.

This is measured by a Boyden diffusion chamber. A filter separates cells, that can be labelled with radiochromium, and the attractant. Hence the number of neutrophils that move through the filter can be quantitated (Boyden, 1962; Ternowitz, 1985). One can also use a test in which there is migration of neutrophils under an agarose gel. Three wells are cut in agarose gel in a plastic tissue culture dish. The neutrophils are placed between buffer on one side and chemoattractant on the other side. Obviously they migrate preferentially towards the attractant. This can be zymosan activated serum (i.e. C5a) or a filtrate of a bacterial culture (Nelson et al., 1975). Phagocytosis