Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Isolation of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells and Their Use in the Study of Neutrophil Transmigration Under Flow Conditions
Published on: August 8, 2012
Antithymocyte globulins bind to human umbilical vein endothelial cells
A Beiras-Fernandez1, S Walther, C Csapo
1Department of Cardiac Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany. Andres.Beiras@med.uni-muenchen.de
Objective:
Polyclonal antithymocyte globulins (ATGs) are immunosuppressive agents used for the treatment of organ rejection after transplantation. ATGs induce complement-mediated cell death of T lymphocytes and may decrease leukocyte adhesion. However, little is known about their effects on endothelial cells (ECs). Our aim was to study whether they bind to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).
Materials And Methods:
HUVECs obtained from umbilical cords were cultured and incubated with ATGs. A group incubated without ATG served as controls. All groups were coincubated with an anti-rabbit-IgG. Binding of ATGs to HUVECs was investigated by means of flow cytometry. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Results:
ATGs were bound to HUVECs with or without prior stimulation by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Binding of ATGs to HUVECs was >99% in all treated groups. The mean intensity of fluorescence was constant in the ATG-treated groups.
Conclusions:
Our results demonstrated that ATGs bind to HUVECs before and after stimulation with TNF-alpha. Binding of ATGs to HUVECs suggests an independent endothelial mechanism of ATG action.
Related Concept Videos
Transcytosis of IgG
IgG molecules from a mother undergo transcytosis starting around 13 weeks of gestation. The amount of IgG transferred and entering the fetal blood circulation increases with...
Hybridoma Technology
Hybridoma Selection
Commonly used fusion techniques — electroporation, polyethylene glycol...
Antibody Actions
Neutralization
Antibodies can bind to pathogens, preventing them from infecting host cells. This process...
Development of Immunocompetence
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules
Ig-CAMs exhibit either homophilic binding (to other Ig-CAMs) or heterophilic binding (to other ligands such as integrins). While most Ig-CAMs...
Humoral Immune Responses

