[New data on the leukocyte functional morphology in pyo-septic processes].
It is established by electron microscopical radioautography that sepsis results in the lowering of neutrophils bacterial capacity while their absorptive capacity is retained. Living bacteria may be released from neutrophils undergoing degradation into the environment. The same is observed when phagocytized but still living bacteria are located in phagosomes which are fused with one another and with neutrophil plasma membrane; after the destruction of the latter bacteria are released into the extracellular space. This is a negative issue for the host of the incomplete phagocytosis. Neutrophils participate more actively in the lysis of the necrotic tissues and wound cleaning than in the bacteria phagocytosis.