Study of neutrophil diapedesis across a bovine mammary epithelium in vitro

Bovine mastitis due to bacterial infection is one of the most costly diseases affecting the dairy industry. The polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) present in milk have a central protective role against invading pathogens, However, the manner by which PMNs traverse the secretory epithelia and the relationship between PMN diapedesis and the epithelial damage are unclear. This in vitro study investigated the process and rate of bovine PMN transepithelial migration. The bovine mammary epithelial cell line, MAC-T, formed a confluent monolayer with characteristic tight junctions, polarity and functional barrier to the dye trypan blue. In the first series of experiments, neutrophils were added into the upper compartment of the culture insert and stimulated to migrate across the epithelium in an apical-to-basal direction by the addition of Staphylococcus aureus to the lower compartment. Light and transmission electron microscopy revealed the following series of events for PMN transmigration: (1) adherence of PMNs to the surface of the epithelium; (2) projection of pseudopods toward the intercellular junction; (3) migration between adjacent epithelial cells; and (4) re-approximation of epithelial cell membranes and reformation