Nitroblue Tetrazolium reduction is used for finding out the following:
The initial laboratory screening for phagocyte disorders, mainly impaired neutrophil function, should include a CBC and cell differential to look for neutropenia. A blood smear can detect Howell-Jolly bodies in erythrocytes, indicative of asplenia, and abnormalities in lysosomal granules in neutrophils. An abnormality of the neutrophil respiratory burst, which would lead to impaired neutrophil bactericidal activity, can be tested by nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction. The dihydrorhodamine (DHR) flow cytometry assay assesses the same function more quantitatively. Ref: Hauk P.J., Johnston, Jr. R.B., Liu A.H. (2012). Chapter 33. Immunodeficiency. In W.W. Hay, Jr., M.J. Levin, R.R. Deterding, J.J. Ross, J.M. Sondheimer (Eds), CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatrics, 21e.
Phagocytes
Complement
T-cell
B-cell