Phagocytic killing of Candida albicans by different murine effector cells.

Three major phagocytic populations in the mouse were tested in vitro for killing of Candida albicans by means of 51Cr release assay: early inflammatory peritoneal polymorphonuclear cells (PMN), unfractionated or adherent spleen cells and resident peritoneal macrophages (PEC). Considerable candidacidal activity was found in the early inflammatory neutrophil and adherent spleen cell populations. On the contrary, only limited activity was found to be associated with resident peritoneal macrophages. The phagocytic killing apparently involved multiple mechanisms.