PMN Migration
Immune surveillance/anti-allergic effects
This testing involves evaluation of whether a natural product has a differential effect on migration of the polymorphonuclear (PMN) cell. The testing includes assessment of effect on random migration as well as chemotactic migration towards three chemo-attractants involved in allergic responses.
The PMN cell is a highly active and migratory cell type. The migratory behavior of this cell type is
- random migration and
- directed migration.
Random migration is part of normal immune surveillance, whereas directed migration happens towards specific chemoattractants.
In this assay, the directed migration is tested towards three distinctly different chemotactic compo
- Histamine;
- Prostaglandin D2;
- the Epithelial Neutrophil Activating factor 78 (ENA-78).
We have found interesting evidence during evaluation of several natural products that some test products may specifically reduce directed PMN migration towards allergic responses, while supporting PMN random migration as part of normal immune surveillance.
