Activation of murine macrophages

Macrophages can act as potent effector cells of the immune response. Cytokine signals generated during an immune response activate macrophages in a complex cascade of events. Activated macrophages are qualitatively different from mature resident tissue macrophages and from immature inflammatory macrophages. Activated macrophages acquire new abilities to eliminate intracellular pathogens (bacterial or parasitic) and extracellular tumor or parasite targets. This unit describes the production of macrophages that display cytotoxicity against intracellular parasites, starting from resident peritoneal macrophages. An Alternate Protocol describes the generation of macrophages with tumoricidal activity, starting from inflammatory peritoneal macrophages.