Histochemical Studies of Leukocytes from an Inflammatory Exudate

Abstract

The activity of nucleotide-linked dehydrogenases was studied histochemically in migrating granulocytes and macrophages from "skin window" preparations. The inflammatory cells stained intensely for DPN-linked lactic, malic and isocitric dehydrogenase. A weaker staining was obtained with reactions for various other dehydrogenases, including TPN-linked isocitric dehydrogenase. The intensity of most of the staining reactions increased with the progress of the inflammatory process, and usually the macrophages were more positive than the granulocytes. Onyl glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase presented a pattern of activity different from that of all the other enzymes. For comparison the histochemical reactions were also applied on leukocytes from blood films. The results were discussed in terms of leukocyte metabolism.