A novel polycarbonate (Nuclepore) membrane demonstrates chemotaxis, unaffected by chemokinesis, of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the Boyden chamber

Abstract

A novel polycarbonate (Nuclepore) membrane having capillary pores of 3 microns diameter and occupying 0.1% of surface area (average minimum spacing of 48 +/- 18.5 microns), a standard polycarbonate filtration membrane (pores 3 microns in diameter occupying 5% of surface area and having average minimum spacing of 3.9 +/- 2.8 microns) as well as a 3 microns pore cellulose acetate filtration membrane, were compared for their abilities to demonstrate chemotactic movement uninfluenced by chemokinetic movement of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in a Boyden-type chemotactic chamber. The chemoattractant used was dilute Escherichia coli culture filtrate employed in a gradient across the membranes to measure chemotaxis and in non-gradient conditions to measure chemokinesis. The new polycarbonate (Nuclepore) membrane provided the clearest demonstration of chemotaxis unaffected by chemokinesis of the polymorphonuclear leukocytes.