ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the phagocytic process and discusses the advantages, applications, and limitations of the utilization of microspheres in the study of phagocytosis. The most active mononuclear phagocytes are the promocytes in the bone marrow which enter the blood as monocytes. Light and transmission electron microscopy, utilization of large microspheres, and treatment of fixed phagocyte cells with xylene, chloroform, or dioxane to dissolve extracellular polystyrene particles are among the techniques that have been utilized for this purpose. The phagocytic process can be divided into three general phases: the attachment of foreign particles to the surface of the phagocytic cell, the ingestion of such particles by the phagocytes, and the digestion of the ingested material within the cell. One of the major energetic factors to consider about phagocytosis with respect to small particles is their translational kinetic energy. Electronic analysis and recording of measurements may be performed with or without cell sorting.
