A RAPID DENSITY GRADIENT TECHNIQUE FOR SEPARATING POLYMORPHONUCLEAR GRANULOCYTES

A gradient separation technique followed by isotonic ammonium chloride haemolysis was compared with two methods for the isolation of polymor phonuclear neutrophils from blood. This technique provided a high yiel d, excellent purity without lymphocyte and erythrocyte contamination, and made it possible to isolate more than 50 x 10(6) human neutrophils from 15 ml of blood. The polymorphonuclear neutrophils isolated in th is way were capable of generating a large amount of reactive oxygen sp ecies. This technique for the separation of polymorphonuclear neutroph ils is an effective method for in vitro studies.