Abstract
Evidence has been presented that the introduction of large numbers of bacteria into the blood stream causes a widespread intravascular reaction, characterized by the sticking of leucocytes to the endothelium of capillaries, arterioles, and venules. The adherent granulocytes promptly become motile and thus potentially phagocytic. This intravascular leucocytic response affords a rapid and efficient mobilization of a vast number of active phagocytes within the blood stream. In some of the smaller vessels of both the systemic and pulmonary circulation the reaction is accompanied by the deposition of what appears to be intravascular fibrin. Direct observation by the rabbit ear chamber technique has revealed that leucocytes thus mobilized in small peripheral vessels are capable of phagocyting fully encapsulated Friedländer’s bacilli in the absence of antibody. Ingestion of the encapsulated blood-borne bacteria results from surface phagocytosis and occurs primarily in those vessels in which the flow of blood is either slowed or has temporarily stopped altogether. Leucocytes can be seen to phagocyte the organisms by first trapping them against the walls of the vessels or against adjacent leucocytes. Bacteria caught in the interstices of the intravascular "fibrin" may likewise be immobilized and readily phagocyted. Thus granulocytes, without the aid of opsonins, are able to ingest and destroy encapsulated blood-borne bacteria by the same mechanisms that operate in extravascular tissues. It is concluded from these studies that intravascular surface phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear leucocytes supplements the well known phagocytic activities of the reticulo-endothelial cells and therefore serves as an important defense of the host in acute infections caused by encapsulated bacteria and complicated by bacteriemia.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.3 MB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- AHERN J. J., BARCLAY W. R., EBERT R. H. Modifications of the rabbit ear chamber technique. Science. 1949 Dec 16;110(2868):665–665. doi: 10.1126/science.110.2868.665. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Bartlett C. J., Ozaki Y. The Fate of Micrococcus Aureus introduced into the Blood Stream of Dogs. J Med Res. 1917 Jan;35(3):465–486. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Beeson P. B., Brannon E. S., Warren J. V. OBSERVATIONS ON THE SITES OF REMOVAL OF BACTERIA FROM THE BLOOD IN PATIENTS WITH BACTERIAL ENDOCARDITIS. J Exp Med. 1945 Jan 1;81(1):9–23. doi: 10.1084/jem.81.1.9. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- ESSEX H. E., GRANA A. Behavior of the leukocytes of the rabbit during periods of transient leukopenia variously induced. Am J Physiol. 1949 Sep;158(3):396–400. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1949.158.3.396. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Enders J. F., Shaffer M. F., Wu C. J. STUDIES ON NATURAL IMMUNITY TO PNEUMOCOCCUS TYPE III : III. CORRELATION OF THE BEHAVIOR IN VIVO OF PNEUMOCOCCI TYPE III VARYING IN THEIR VIRULENCE FOR RABBITS WITH CERTAIN DIFFERENCES OBSERVED IN VITRO. J Exp Med. 1936 Jul 31;64(2):307–330. doi: 10.1084/jem.64.2.307. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- KERBY G. P., MARTIN S. P. The splanchnic removal of bacteria from the blood stream of leukopenic rabbits. J Exp Med. 1951 Feb;93(2):189–195. doi: 10.1084/jem.93.2.189. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lund C. C., Shaw L. A., Drinker C. K. QUANTITATIVE DISTRIBUTION OF PARTICULATE MATERIAL (MANGANESE DIOXIDE) ADMINISTERED INTRAVENOUSLY TO THE DOG, RABBIT, GUINEA PIG, RAT, CHICKEN, AND TURTLE. J Exp Med. 1921 Jan 31;33(2):231–238. doi: 10.1084/jem.33.2.231. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Robertson O. H., Terrell E. E., Graeser J. B., Cornwell M. A. THE RELATION OF NATURAL HUMORAL ANTIPNEUMOCOCCAL IMMUNITY TO THE INCEPTION OF LOBAR PNEUMONIA. J Exp Med. 1930 Aug 31;52(3):421–433. doi: 10.1084/jem.52.3.421. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- SMITH M. R., PERRY W. D., BERRY J. W., WOOD W. B., Jr Surface phagocytosis in vivo. J Immunol. 1951 Jul;67(1):71–74. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- SMITH R. O., WOOD W. B., Jr Cellular mechanisms of antibacterial defense in lymph nodes; pathogenesis of acute bacterial lymphadenitis. J Exp Med. 1949 Dec;90(6):555-66, 2 pl. doi: 10.1084/jem.90.6.555. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sale L., Wood W. B. STUDIES ON THE MECHANISM OF RECOVERY IN PNEUMONIA DUE TO FRIEDLANDER'S BACILLUS : I. THE PATHOGENESIS OF EXPERIMENTAL FRIEDLANDER'S BACILLUS PNEUMONIA. J Exp Med. 1947 Aug 31;86(3):239–248. doi: 10.1084/jem.86.3.239. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Smith M. R., Wood W. B. Relation of Surface Phagocytosis to the Fibrinous Character of Acute Bacterial Exudates. Science. 1949 Aug 19;110(2851):187–188. doi: 10.1126/science.110.2851.187-a. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wood W. B., Jr, Smith M. R. Intercellular Surface Phagocytosis. Science. 1947 Jul 25;106(2743):86–87. doi: 10.1126/science.106.2743.86. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wood W. B., McLeod C., Irons E. N. STUDIES ON THE MECHANISM OF RECOVERY IN PNEUMOCOCCAL PNEUMONIA : III. FACTORS INFLUENCING THE PHAGOCYTOSIS OF PNEUMOCOCCI IN THE LUNG DURING SULFONAMIDE THERAPY. J Exp Med. 1946 Sep 30;84(4):377–386. doi: 10.1084/jem.84.4.377. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wood W. B. STUDIES ON THE MECHANISM OF RECOVERY IN PNEUMOCOCCAL PNEUMONIA : I. THE ACTION OF TYPE SPECIFIC ANTIBODY UPON THE PULMONARY LESION OF EXPERIMENTAL PNEUMONIA. J Exp Med. 1941 Jan 31;73(2):201–222. doi: 10.1084/jem.73.2.201. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]