Erythrocyte and Leukocyte: Two Partners in Bacteria Killing

• Published in: International Reviews of Immunology Vol. 33; no. 6; pp. 490 - 497
• Main Author: Minasyan, Hayk A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa Healthcare 02-11-2014; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Animals; bacteremia; Bacteria - immunology; Blood Circulation; bloodstream; erythrocyte; Erythrocytes - immunology; Erythrocytes - microbiology; Humans; leukocyte; Leukocytes - immunology; Leukocytes - microbiology; Lymphoid Tissue - immunology; Phagocytosis; sepsis; Sepsis - immunology; Static Electricity; bloodstream; phagocytosis; sepsis; leukocyte; bacteremia; erythrocyte
• ISSN: 0883-0185; 1937-4364; 1563-5244
• DOI: 10.3109/08830185.2014.956359

Leukocytes can't perform phagocytosis in blood stream. Blood velocity prevents phagocytosis because there is no time for leukocyte to recognize and catch bacteria. Bloodstream clearance from pathogens is performed by erythrocytes. During motion in bloodstream erythrocytes become charged by triboelectric effect. This charge attracts bacteria and fixes them on the surface of erythrocyte, then bacteria are engulfed and killed by hemoglobin oxygen. In bloodstream, leukocyte thin-wrinkled elastic membrane can't be charged by triboelectric effect and so leukocyte can't catch bacteria by means of electrostatic attraction force. Leukocytes engulf and kill bacteria out of blood circulatory system: in tissues, lymph nodes, slow velocity lymph, etc. Erythrocyte and leukocyte are bactericidal partners: the first kills bacteria in bloodstream, the second kills them locally, out of blood circulation.