Abstract
During the course of a previous investigation, Boyd and Wilson 1 demonstrated that leucocytes from the blood of the umbilical vein and artery contained only about one-half the concentration of certain lipids contained in the white blood cells of adults. It was suggested that the relative lymphocytosis of fetal blood was responsible for the differences observed. The inference was made that in all probability the polymorphonuclear cell contained a higher percentage of lipids than the lymphocyte. The present study was instituted with the purpose of further investigation of this suggestion.
Samples of blood were taken by venapuncture from a group of 25 patients of the Strong Memorial and Rochester Municipal Hospitals. Subjects were selected only with a view to obtaining a wide range of variation in the differential count. The leucocyte fraction (“buffy layer”) was isolated and analyzed for its lipid content by a method previously described. 2 Platelets, the lipid content of which is not known, were included in the leucocyte fraction, but comprised only a small part of the total volume of the buffy layer. The following lipid values were determined: total lipid, neutral fat, total fatty acids, total cholesterol, ester cholesterol, free cholesterol and phospholipid. Lipid values were expressed in milligrams per 100 gm. of the leucocyte fraction, rather than in terms of a given number of cells or amount of blood. In each instance, total white blood cell and differential counts were made. By comparing the lipid composition of the leucocyte fraction with the differential leucocyte count, it was anticipated that chemical differences in the white blood cells might be demonstrated.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.