Scanning Electron Microscopy and Phagocytic Activity of Blood and Milk Neutrophils Isolated from Early Lactating Buffaloes

Abstract

Neutrophils are considered as the first line of cellular defence in the mammary gland. Neutrophils are more active in blood but once they cross the mammary barrier, their activity gets reduced significantly. This reduction in the neutrophilic activity makes the mammary gland more susceptible to infections. The decreased activities of the neutrophils are associated with altered structural and functional integrity of the neutrophils. No information is available regarding the alterations in surface architecture of the blood and milk neutrophils in early lactating buffaloes. The current study was designed in Murrah buffalo cows during early lactation to evaluate the structural alterations in both blood and milk neutrophils. Scanning electron microscopy was carried out to evaluate the surface dynamics of the neutrophils. Phagocytic activity was also estimated to correlate the changes in ultrastructure with activity of neutrophils. The study concluded that the surface of blood neutrophils were more ruffled as compared to that of milk neutrophils. Reduced ruffledness of the membrane of milk neutrophils indicated a decreased neutrophilic activity and hence the chances of increased infection of mammary gland during early lactation