Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026
Culture of myeloid dendritic cells from bone marrow precursors
Published on: July 25, 2008
[The induction of differentiation into dendritic cells from HL-60 cells by calcium ionophore]
Jun Wu1, Tai-cheng Yang, Jiang Xian
1Institute of Tumor Molecular Biology, General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, Guangzhou 510010, China. Junwuwang@hotmail.com
Aim:
To explore whether the promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60 may differentiate into activated dendritic cells (DCs) by A23187, a calcium ionophore.
Methods:
The HL-60 cells were cultured in common medium alone or with various concentrations of A23187 (25-1 600 microg/L) and rhGM-CSF (100 microg/L). After culture for 24-96 hours, the cellular morphological change was observed under light microscope and electron microscope. Surface makers on treated HL-60 cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. The proliferation of allogeneic human T cells was detected by MTT colorimetry.
Results:
Under the condition of a suitable dose (200 microg/L) of A23187 treatment of HL-60 cells for 24 hours, the expression of CD83 molecule, a characteristic marker on DCs, was highest. The typical dendritic outgrowth appeared at a time when HL-60 cells were treated with A23187 for 72 hours. However, when HL-60 cells were treated with A23187 for 96 hours, the expressions of CD80 (B7.1), CD86 (B7.2), MHC-class II molecule and CD54 on HL-60 cells reached peak, and marked activation of allogeneic T cells occurred.
Conclusion:
Calcium ionophore A23187 can induce the HL-60 cells to differentiate into activated DCs-like cells.
