Neutrophil (White blood cell) viability is one of the most important assessments used to determine the state of the immune system. The main criteria used for determining the viability of a neutrophil include size, condition and activity.
The most important factor to observe when assessing neutrophil viability is activity. Here we look at the granules within the cell’s cytoplasm. Ideally, there should be many actively streaming granules within the cell. The cell itself should also be stretching out its membrane in irregular shapes to move around actively in the plasma (see the video above).
Typically, neutrophil viability should be at least 75%.
Whereas, non-viable neutrophils are often round, symmetrical and immobile.
Relevance:
Ideally, no non-viable neutrophils should be observed in a healthy live blood sample.
Implications:
Poor neutrophil viability may be caused by many factors, read more about WBC’s here