Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Isolation of Murine Peritoneal Macrophages to Carry Out Gene Expression Analysis Upon Toll-like Receptors Stimulation
08:21

Isolation of Murine Peritoneal Macrophages to Carry Out Gene Expression Analysis Upon Toll-like Receptors Stimulation

Published on: April 29, 2015

Microglial cells and peritoneal macrophages release activin A upon stimulation with Toll-like receptor agonists

Sandra Ebert1, Moritz Zeretzke, Roland Nau

  • 1Department of Neurology, University of Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Street 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany. sebert1@gwdg.de

Neuroscience Letters
|December 30, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Microglia and macrophages release activin A when immune receptors are activated. This suggests these cells are the source of elevated activin A in meningitis and sepsis.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Elevated activin A concentrations are observed in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during meningitis and in serum during sepsis.
  • The cellular sources of increased activin A in these conditions remain unidentified.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cellular origin of elevated activin A in inflammatory conditions.
  • To determine if immune cells, specifically microglia and macrophages, produce activin A in response to immune stimuli.

Main Methods:

  • Primary mouse microglial cells and peritoneal macrophages were cultured.
  • Cells were treated with agonists for Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 2, 4, and 9.
  • Activin A release was measured following stimulation.

Main Results:

  • Microglial cells and peritoneal macrophages demonstrated the ability to release activin A.
  • This release was triggered by stimulation with agonists of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2, 4, and 9.
  • These findings identify microglia and macrophages as key producers of activin A.

Conclusions:

  • Microglia and macrophages are significant sources of activin A during innate immune responses.
  • These immune cells contribute to the elevated activin A levels seen in bacterial meningitis and sepsis.
  • Activin A plays a role in the innate immune response, with microglia and macrophages being key mediators.

More Related Videos

A Macrophage Reporter Cell Assay to Examine Toll-Like Receptor-Mediated NF-kB/AP-1 Signaling on Adsorbed Protein Layers on Polymeric Surfaces07:55

A Macrophage Reporter Cell Assay to Examine Toll-Like Receptor-Mediated NF-kB/AP-1 Signaling on Adsorbed Protein Layers on Polymeric Surfaces

Published on: January 7, 2020

Neuron-Macrophage Co-cultures to Activate Macrophages Secreting Molecular Factors with Neurite Outgrowth Activity08:52

Neuron-Macrophage Co-cultures to Activate Macrophages Secreting Molecular Factors with Neurite Outgrowth Activity

Published on: March 30, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Chronic Inflammation: Introduction01:12

Chronic Inflammation: Introduction

Chronic inflammation is a prolonged, dysregulated immune response that persists for weeks to years when the inciting stimulus is difficult to eradicate or when self‑antigens drive ongoing reactivity. Morphologically, it is defined by mononuclear cell infiltration, progressive tissue destruction, and concurrent attempts at healing via angiogenesis and fibrosis. Compared with acute inflammation, edema is less prominent while cellular infiltration predominates; triggers include persistent...
T Cell Types and Functions01:24

T Cell Types and Functions

When T cells with CD4 markers are activated, they give rise to two types of effector cells: helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Meanwhile, T cells with CD8 markers differentiate into effector cytotoxic T cells. The differentiation of CD4 T cells into helper T cell subsets, such as Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells, is dependent on the antigen type, antigen-presenting cell, and regulatory cytokines.
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Inflammation01:38

Inflammation

Overview
Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells01:15

Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells

Common myeloid progenitors (CMPs) are oligopotent cells that can differentiate into granulocytes and macrophages. Granulocytes and macrophages are essential for protecting the body against bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. They migrate from the bone marrow into the circulating blood to reach specific tissue sites where they differentiate and help in immune surveillance. However, they survive only for a few days and must be continuously made available to the organism to maintain a robust...