CHARACTERIZATION OF DUCK THROMBOCYTES

Duck thrombocytes were initially identified in peripheral blood mononu clear cells (PBMCs) purified from whole blood on Ficoll-Paque density gradients by examining stained smears of these cells. These thrombocyt es could be readily purified from lymphocytes on the FACStar cell sort er by their increased side-scatter. They were similar to chicken throm bocytes in both appearance and function; they had a diameter of 4.5-6 mu m and contained large vacuoles and were able to phagocytose carbon and Staphylococcus aureus. A monoclonal antibody (mAb) BA3 was generat ed which binds specifically to duck thrombocytes and has facilitated t he characterisation of these cells which comprise up to 50-60 per cent of cells in Ficoll-Paque purified duck PBMCs.