The Generation of Chemiluminescence (CL) by Phagocytic Cells

This chapter presents the methods involved in generating chemiluminescence (CL) from phagocytic cells and the procedures involved in utilizing CL as both an index to study defects of phagocytosis of both cellular and humoral origin, and to study the interaction of pharmacologic and toxicologic agents with phagocytic cells. The generation of CL is characteristic of phagocytic cells other than neutrophiles, including alveolar and peritoneal macrophages, monocytes, and eosinophils. The use of CL as an index to study the pharmacologic and/ortoxicologic effects of agents on phagocytic cells has widespread application and potential. The measurement of CL by phagocytic cells is found to be a reliable and reproducible parameter by which phagocytosis-associated events can be assessed and this system has widespread applicability to a variety of problems, both scientific and clinical in nature.