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Isolation of Mouse Lung Dendritic Cells
Published on: November 22, 2011
Isolation of human lung dendritic cells
M M van den Heuvel1, C E Havenith, R H Beelen
1Department of Cell Biology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine of the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Methods in Molecular Medicine
|March 5, 2011
Summary
Dendritic cells (DCs) are crucial antigen-presenting cells in the lung but are rare and heterogeneous. This chapter details methods for isolating lung DCs from human tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL).
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- The lung contains various antigen-presenting cells, with dendritic cells (DCs) being the most potent.
- Lung DCs are a rare and phenotypically heterogeneous cell population, complicating early research.
- Understanding DC heterogeneity is vital for studying lung immunity and disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elaborate on the phenotypic heterogeneity of lung dendritic cells (DCs).
- To describe techniques for isolating lung DCs from human parenchymal lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL).
Main Methods:
- Detailed discussion of dendritic cell (DC) heterogeneity in the lung.
- Description of isolation techniques for lung DCs from human lung tissue.
- Description of isolation techniques for lung DCs from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL).
Main Results:
- Highlights the critical need to consider lung DC heterogeneity during isolation and study.
- Provides practical methodologies for obtaining lung DC populations from distinct human sources.
Conclusions:
- Effective study and isolation of lung dendritic cells (DCs) require addressing their inherent heterogeneity.
- The described techniques facilitate the research of lung DC function and immunology.
