title: Determination of immunomodulatory effects: focus on functional analysis of phagocytes as representatives of the innate immune system.
abstract: The evaluation of the effects of drugs or chemicals on the functions of the immune system is an increasingly important task. Due to the accessibility of primary cells and cell lines, in vitro cellular functional tests are frequently being performed with cells representing the innate immune system, in particular those with phagocytotic activities, such as neutrophils and macrophages. Suitable functional parameters are the efficiency of phagocytosis, the efficiency with which viable pathogens are killed, the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) and that of cytokines. Corresponding analytical procedures are available, but standardization is required, as varying the procedure may influence the outcomes of the assays.
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany. ursula.bilitewski@helmholtz-hzi.de
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bilitewski
mesh_terms: D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003584:Cytological Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005453:Fluorescence; D007107:Immune System / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D049449:Luminescence; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D026361:Reactive Nitrogen Species / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D026361:Reactive Nitrogen Species; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species