title: Positive immunoselection--a method of isolating leukocytes from leukocytic reacted human cervical mucus samples.
abstract: In this brief communication we report a simple and accurate method of isolating and quantifying specific leukocytes from midcycle human cervical mucus, using monoclonal antibody-coated magnetic beads. Cervical mucus samples (pre- and postinsemination) were broken down enzymatically and incubated with a series of these beads. This method of positive immunoselection consistently retrieved representative levels of leukocytes (means = 73.8% +/- 1.59%; mean leukocyte retrieval rate +/- S.E.) from the cervical mucus samples. Significantly more leukocytes (P less than 0.0001) were isolated from the postinsemination samples, the predominant leukocyte of which was the neutrophil, which comprised 83% of the leukocyte population. These results reaffirm that a leukocytic influx is initiated across the human uterine cervix following the introduction of semen samples, the function of which is possibly phagocytic clearance of the nonfertilizing population of sperm.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jessop Hospital for Women, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Barratt
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Bolton
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Cooke
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007316:Insemination, Artificial, Heterologous; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal