Purification of Basophilic Leukocytes from Guinea Pig and Human Blood and from Guinea Pig Bone Marrow

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the purification of basophilic leukocytes from guinea pig and human blood and from guinea pig bone marrow. A complete understanding of basophil function requires the analysis of cloned cell lines together with cells freshly isolated from the blood or bone marrow. The examination of freshly isolated cells represents an important tool for understanding alterations in basophil function that may accompany immune responses or allergic diseases. The extent of the peripheral basophilia is the single most important variable affecting basophil purification. Although all guinea pigs primed with whole sheep blood develop increased circulating basophils, the magnitude of this response varies enormously from < 5- to more than 200-fold. Basophil counts performed on ear capillary blood are often considerably higher than those of arterial or cardiac blood obtained at the same time. Purified basophils may be obtained from both the peripheral blood and bone marrow of the same donor animals that have been stimulated with daily injections of sheep blood.