Lysozyme content of bovine neutrophils

ABSTRACT

The fractionation of bovine blood neutrophil and the isolation of granules was achieved through homogenization of neutrophil and differential centrifugation of whole homogenate. Lysozyme was assayed in neutrophil whole homogenate the granule fraction and the nuclear pellet. It was possible to detect small quantities of lysozyme because of high sensitivity of spectrophotometer and techniques which were used. Neutrophil granule contained twice as much lysozyme as whole homogenate suggesting that lysozyme was localized in granules. Lysozyme could be also detected in minute quantitites in pellet only if the whole homogenate was washed in 0.34 m sucrose inadequately the quantity of lysozyme detected varied between a total of 0.12 to 0.67 micro g/10[6] neutrophil. Although this amount seems small it can be considered as important in removal of sensitive bacteria as the amount found in some other animal species e.g. rat [0.82 to 0.87 micro g per 10[6] cell]