An Improved Method for Performing Neutrophil Survival Studies

An improved method for doing DFP³² neutrophil survival studies is described that allows quantitative measurement of total circulating neutrophil-associated radioactivity. DFP³² labeled neutrophils are quantitatively trapped on a nylon fiber column and washed free of contaminating radioactivity. The neutrophil-associated radioactivity is then counted in a liquid scintillation counter. Data so obtained can then be used to construct both a true neutrophil survival curve and a curve for the fall-off of neutrophil specific activity. Leukokinetic data on hematologically normal individuals compare favorably with the values for normal persons that Athens and his collaborators have published.