Automated image analysis for monitoring oxidative burst in macrophages.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate oxidative bursts induced by phorbol myristate acetate in phagocytes at the single-cell level by automated image analysis.


METHODS
The generation of reactive oxygen species was quantitatively expressed by means of histograms displaying the percentage of cells corresponding to each of the total optical densities measured.


RESULTS
Macrophage subpopulations were quantitatively defined. This method allows detailed analysis of the amount of formazan per cell and the sites of deposition of blue precipitate in each cell.


CONCLUSIONS
Image analysis is a reliable quantitative, single-cell assay for studying various cellular characteristics associated with macrophage functions.
Molinari
B L
BL
Department of Radiobiology, National Atomic Energy Commission, Buenos Aires, Argentina. beamolin@cnea.gov.ar
Tasat
D R
DR
Fernández
M L
ML
Durán
H A
HA
Curiale
J
J
Stoliar
A
A
Cabrini
R L
RL
D000818:Animals; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D016897:Respiratory Burst / Q000502:physiology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate