Determination of magnesium in granulocytes.

Determination of magnesium in mononuclear blood cells may provide useful information about intracellular magnesium. Mononuclear blood cell preparations are frequently contaminated with granulocytes. We determined the normal reference interval for magnesium content and concentration of granulocytes and compared it with magnesium in mononuclear blood cells. The mean granulocyte magnesium concentration and content were 6.95 (SD 1.25) mmol/L and 3.11 (SD 0.54) fmol per cell, respectively, vs 10.95 (SD 1.70) mmol/L and 3.27 (SD 0.46) fmol per cell in mononuclear cells. The concentration of magnesium in granulocytes was significantly less (P less than 0.001) than in mononuclear blood cells, but the magnesium contents were not significantly different.