Capillary Tube Migration for Detection of Human Delayed Hypersensitivity: Difficulties Encountered with “Buffy Coat” Cells and Tuberculin Antigen

Abstract

The usefulness of a simple in vitro capillary tube migration system using human buffy coat cells has been investigated in relation to tuberculin skin sensitivity. A lack of reproducibility of the method was demonstrated and the movement of cells out of capillary tubes was found to depend primarily upon gravity. No correlation between cell “migration” and skin sensitivity was found. It is concluded that this convenient technique, in its present form, is not suitable for the detection of delayed hypersensitivity in man.