PROPERTIES OF NEUTROPHILIC GRANULOCYTES FROM BLOOD AND UTERUS OF PERIPARTURIENT COWS

Functional capacities and immunophenotypic properties of bovine polymo rphonuclear neutrophilic granulocytes (PMNs) from blood and uterus fro m clinical healthy cows were investigated two weeks before to two week s after parturition. The number of circulating leukocytes and segmente d granulocytes showed a continuous increase up to parturition and a de crease after that under the level of two weeks before parturition. The part of unsegmented granulocytes in the blood was relatively high (ar ound 15 %) in periparturient cows. Compared with the period before par turition, in early puerperium isolated PMNs from blood showed a signif icant decrease in expression of some function associated membrane stru ctures and partially in their functional capacity (generation of react ive oxygen species, cytotoxicity). The results demonstrate statistical ly significant changes in quantitative and qualitative properties of n eutrophils from blood of clinical healthy periparturient cows. For und erstanding the physiological defence mechanisms and the reasons of pat hological course of puerperium it is planned to investigate the role o f different factors (steroid hormones, bacterial products, metabolic p arameters) on function of PMNs under defined conditions.