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G T ARCHER

Publications and source records attributed to G T ARCHER.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

FORMATION OF CHARCOT-LEYDEN CRYSTALS IN HUMAN EOSINOPHILS AND BASOPHILS AND STUDY OF THE COMPOSITION OF ISOLATED CRYSTALS.

Methods are described for the isolation of human eosinophils and basophils from donor blood. Using these cell preparations Charcot-Leyden crystals were found to originate from both eosinophils and basophils when the cells were suspended in hypotonic saline solution. The crystals formed also when saline extracts of eosinophils and basophils were concentrated by ultrafiltration through dialysis tubing. Fractions of eosinophils were prepared and the crystals were obtained from the cytoplasmic fraction but not from the nuclear or granular fractions. Chemical studies showed the crystals to be protein in nature and some evidence is presented which suggests that RNA may decrease the tendency for the protein to crystallize out of solution.

Basophils↗

ISOLATION OF GRANULES FROM EOSINOPHIL LEUCOCYTES AND STUDY OF THEIR ENZYME CONTENT.

Eosinophils were separated from other types of cells in horse blood or rat peritoneal fluid by centrifugation in concentrated albumin solutions. Eosinophils did not appear to be damaged by this separation procedure. A technique was also devised for isolation of cytoplasmic granules from eosinophils, thus allowing studies on enzyme content of the granules. Granules from both horse and rat eosinophils contained a number of hydrolytic enzymes, similar in variety and in concentration to those previously found in granules of rabbit polymorphonuclear leucocytes. Eosinophil granules differed from those of the rabbit granulocyte in their high content of peroxidase and the absence of lysozyme and phagocytin. On disruption of eosinophil granules by repeated freezing and thawing in saline, cathepsin, ribonuclease, arylsulfatase and beta glucuronidase were released into solution, but phosphatases were partially and peroxidase completely bound to the insoluble granule residue. Peroxidase could be extracted from the granule residue with weak acid. Eosinophil granules thus are lysosome-like structures.

Animals↗

MOTION PICTURE STUDIES ON DEGRANULATION OF HORSE EOSINOPHILS DURING PHAGOCYTOSIS.

Horse eosinophil function has been studied in vitro by means of phase contrast cinemicrophotography. Locomotion of horse eosinophils was inhibited by serum factors reacting with glass surfaces. Under appropriate conditions which eliminated this inhibitory effect, eosinophils moved about and ingested some particles as rapidly as did neutrophils. Eosinophils were attracted to and readily engulfed such diverse materials as yeast cell walls, foreign erythrocytes, and antigen-antibody precipitates. Specific antibody was required for phagocytosis of red cells, and greatly accelerated the uptake of yeast cell walls. Horse eosinophil granules situated adjacent to material being engulfed disrupted with discharge of granule contents into or alongside the phagocytic vacuole. Granule disruption resulted in a clear zone and deposition of amorphous, phase-dense material. A heat-labile serum factor was required for degranulation of eosinophils ingesting foreign red cells, but not for degranulation during engulfment of yeast cell walls or antigen-antibody precipitates. Horse eosinophils were incapable under these conditions of engulfing an entire human red cell. The eosinophil commonly put out a large pseudopod to surround about half the red cell, and then appeared to constrict this pseudopod distally to cut the erythrocyte in half. It is concluded that eosinophils are phagocytic cells, resembling neutrophils in many of their properties. Any specific functions of eosinophils, distinguishing them from other phagocytes, remain to be discovered.

Animals↗