Quantitative changes in the basophil cells of guinea-pig bone marrow following the administration of Ascaris body fluid.

A quantitative study of basophil cells of bone marrow, blood and peritoneal fluid was carried out in seventy-two mixed strain male guinea-pigs, following daily subcutaneous injection of Ascaris body fluid (ABF). An increase of marrow basophils was observed 4–10 days after one and the last of three daily injections of ABF. The degree of increase appeared to be related to the quantity of the antigen, but the duration of increase was about 2 weeks in both the singly and the repeatedly injected animals. It is suggested that the protein in ABF may not be the sole agent responsible for the basophil production. An allergic or antigen—antibody reaction may develop following the re-injection of ABF in the sensitized animals. A great number of basophils and eosinophils was discharged from the bone marrow into the blood stream 1 day after the subcutaneous injection of ABF and following re-injection of the antigen. The antigen administered subcutaneously also caused a cellular reaction in the peritoneal fluid.