Phagocytosis of bacterial magnetite by leucocytes

Magnetotactic bacteria were introduced into granulocytes and monocytes by phagocytosis. The number of phagocytes containing bacterial magnetites (magneto-sensitive cells) became constant after 1.5 h incubation, and viable phagocytes contained about 20-40 cells of magnetotactic bacteria. Granulocytes and monocytes containing bacterial magnetites were separated by magnet a Samarium-cobalt from lymphocytes. After separation, 89% of lymphocytes were recovered and 95% of the cells were viable. The contamination of phagocytes in the recovered lymphocytes was below 0.8%. Magneto-sensitive granulocytes and monocytes were removed by applying a magnetic field. The nitro-blue tetrazolium-reducing, chemotactic and phagocytic abilities of phagocytes ingesting magnetotactic bacteria were 84%, 88% and 87% respectively after 1 h incubation.