Chemotactic response of polymorphonuclear leukocytes to corneal tissue extracts.

The chemotactic response of polymorphonuclear leukocytes of normal subject, to corneal extracts of 0.2 and 0.4 mg/dl protein concentration were studied in blind-well type chemotactic chambers. E. coli endotoxin served for the positive, Rindex-5 fluid for the negative controls. The chemotactic response to corneal tissue extracts, as compared to random migration in the Rindex-5 medium, proved significant. It is suggested that chemotactic factors may be released from corneal grafts in vivo too, in consequence of diverse noxae. These factors are supposed to elicit a granulocytic invasion and to lead to an opacification of the graft as a result of a cellular reaction.