EFFECTS OF SUPERNATANT FROM TONSILLAR CELL-CULTURE ON NEUTROPHIL FUNCTIONS

The palatine tonsil is the most important element of Waldeyer's ring a s a defense mechanism against various microorganisms. The neutrophils are the initial active participants in bacterial infection and inflamm ation, but their interaction with other cellular participants is poorl y understood. To clarify this point, the effects of culture supernatan t from human tonsillar cells on the peripheral neutrophil function wer e investigated. Supernatants from tonsillar cells were incubated in th e presence or absence of streptococcal preparation (OK-432) enhanced c hemiluminescence, adherence, phagocytosis, chemotaxis, and superoxide production of human peripheral neutrophils. The results suggest that t onsils play an important role in the regulation of neutrophil function .