ACTIVATION OF NEUTROPHILS BY A CHEMICALLY SEPARATED BUT OPTICALLY COUPLED NEUTROPHIL POPULATION UNDERGOING RESPIRATORY BURST

Neutrophils from pig blood were used as a model system to investigate the optical communication between cells. It was found that neutrophils stimulated to undergo respiratory burst can activate a second, chemic ally separated, but optically coupled population of neutrophils. The r esponse of the latter was visualized as a temporary rising of their lo w-level chemiluminescence and an enhanced generation of superoxide rad icals detected by both the reduction of ferricytochrome c and spin tra pping. The results provide evidence that a long-range optical coupling of biological significance between living cells exists.