THE TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT OF PHAGOCYTOSIS

Abstract

1. The experiments of Madsen and Watabiki on the effect of temperature on the phagocytosis of bacteria are discussed and a new analysis of their curves is given, showing that the rate of phagocytosis is very nearly a logarithmic function of the temperature from 0° to 35°C.; i.e., Q10 is constant over that range and is equal to 2.0. 2. New experiments are reported on the effect of temperature on the phagocytosis of quartz and carbon particles of uniform sizes, showing a marked increase in the temperature coefficient below 30°C.