Flow cytofluorometric characterization of bovine blood and milk leukocytes.

Flow cytometry and sorting proved to be a rapid method that facilitated the identification of different leukocyte populations in bovine blood and milk. After briefly incubating whole blood and milk samples in a hypotonic phosphate buffer, containing supravital acridine orange, 5 classes of leukocytes were found in the blood (lymphocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, and monocytes) and 4 in the milk (lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages) by flow cytometry. Cells were morphologically identified by fluorescent microscopy after flow cytometric sorting and by light microscopy after Papanicolaous staining. Udder parenchymal and ductal tissue cells (secretory and epithelial cells) were not found in the milk samples evaluated. Large differences in the total and differential cell counts were found in the different milk secretions.