Studies of in Vivo Phagocytosis. I. Inhibition of Phagocytosis by Intact Neoplastic Body Fluids

1. By means of a modified skin window technic, the phagocytic response of rabbit leukocytes to external stimuli has been observed.

2. Suspensions of particulate antigens, such as rice starch and Candida albicans, made in serums or urines from patients with leukemias and lymphoproliferative disorders, were not phagocytized normally when compared to similar suspensions in normal media.

3. These results suggest that exogenous or endogenous factors, individually or in combination, interfere with normal phagocytic activity in the rabbit and, by analogy, may exercise a similar function in the human.