In:
eLife, eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd, Vol. 4 ( 2015-07-08)
Abstract:
Inflammation plays an important role in helping the body to heal wounds and fight off certain diseases. Immune cells called macrophages—which are perhaps best known for their ability to engulf and digest microbes and cell debris—help to control inflammation. In mammals, different types of macrophage exist; the most functionally extreme of which are the M1 macrophages that stimulate inflammation and M2 macrophages that reduce the inflammatory response. Macrophages acquire different abilities through a process called polarization, which is controlled by signals produced by a macrophage's environment. Polarization has been well investigated in human and mouse cells grown in the laboratory, but less is understood about how this process occurs in live animals. Nguyen Chi, Laplace-Builhe et al. investigated whether zebrafish larvae (which are naturally transparent) could form an experimental model in which to investigate macrophage polarization in living animals. Zebrafish were first genetically engineered to produce two fluorescent proteins: one that marks macrophages and one that marks M1 macrophages. These fluorescent proteins allow the movement and polarization of macrophages to be tracked in real time in living larvae using a technique called confocal microscopy. Nguyen Chi, Laplace-Builhe et al. also isolated macrophage cells from these zebrafish at different times during the inflammatory process to identify which macrophage subtypes form and when. The results show that unpolarized macrophages move to the sites of inflammation (caused by wounds or bacterial infection), where they become polarized into M1 cells. Over time, these M1 macrophages progressively convert into an M2-like macrophage subtype, presumably to help clear up the inflammation. Furthermore, Nguyen Chi, Laplace-Builhe et al. show that the M1 and M2 macrophage subtypes in zebrafish are similar to those found in mammals. Therefore, genetically engineered zebrafish larvae are likely to prove useful for studying macrophage activity and polarization in living animals.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
2050-084X
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.001
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.002
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.003
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.004
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.005
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.006
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.007
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.008
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.009
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.010
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.011
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.012
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.013
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.014
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.015
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.016
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.07288.017
Language:
English
Publisher:
eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
Publication Date:
2015
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2687154-3
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