Antibodies and thermolabile opsonins in the phagocytosis of human red and white blood cells pretreated with formaldehyde.

Erythrophagocytosis is conditioned by serum immunoglobulins. The extent of phagocytosis depends on the haematocrit of the red cell suspension pretreated with formaldehyde. The higher the haematocrit value, the lower will be the extent of phagocytosis. Phagocytosis of white blood cells pretreated with formaldehyde by granulocytes and monocytes is conditioned mainly by a thermolabile fraction of the serum, probably the complement.