title: The use of neutrophils, macrophages and organ cultures to assess the penetration of human cells by antimicrobials.
abstract: Recent studies of pathogenic mechanisms of bacteria have revealed that in addition to traditional intracellular parasites such as Brucella spp. and Listeria, many other human pathogens reside inside cells during disease processes. Thus, studies of how well antimicrobials are delivered to and perform within phagocytic or endocytic vacuoles have become of increasing importance. Whereas studies of penetration of PMN neutrophils and macrophages have indicated whether antimicrobials penetrate the cytoplasm of human cells, studies in organ cultures can reveal whether antimicrobials enter phagosomes or endocytic vacuoles where the bacteria actually reside. Such information is probably more predictive of antimicrobial efficacy in naturally occurring intracellular infections than are data from studies with PMN's or macrophages.
authors.forename: Z A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: McGee
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gorby
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Updike
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents