STUDIES ON BLOOD EOSINOPHILS .1. PATIENTS WITH A TRANSIENT EOSINOPHILIA

Abstract

Studies were done on blood eosinophils from 6 patients with a transient eosinophilia, to see whether blood eosinophils were structurally or functionally different from blood eosinophils in 11 normal individuals. Many of the patients'' eosinophils were vacuolated, and some contained less specific granules than normal. These eosinophils also possessed Fc receptors for rabbit IgG [immunoglobulin G]. When the eosinophil counts returned to normal these abnormalities were no longer found. The nature of these alterations are discussed in relation to the properties of eosinophils in tissues and other types of phagocytic cells responding to stimuli. Suggestions are made about the mechanisms by which they could have come about. Blood eosinophils in patients with an eosinophilia may be functionally mature or altered in response to unknown stimuli while they are in the blood.