Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 24, 2026
Culture of Macrophage Colony-stimulating Factor Differentiated Human Monocyte-derived Macrophages
Published on: June 30, 2016
[Establishment and characterization of macrophage-derived foam cell model induced by mycolic acid]
1Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Centre, Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
Objective:
To explore the formation conditions and characteristics of murine macrophage-derived foam cells induced by the polystyrene microspheres coated with mycolic acid (MA).
Methods:
RAW264.7 cells were divided into blank control group and polystyrene microsphere experimental groups where polystyrene microspheres were coated with 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 μg/mL mycolic acid, respectively. The mixture of RAW264.7 cells and polystyrene microspheres was incubated for 24, 48, 72 hours, 5 and 8 days, respectively. After oil red O staining, the cell morphology of each group was observed under a microscope. The level of intracellular cholesterol ester of each group was measured with total cholesterol and free cholesterol kits, and the cell proliferation was detected with MTT assay.
Results:
When the concentration of MA was 75 μg/mL and the phagocytosis time was 24 hours, the typical foam cells formed, and its intracellular cholesterol ester content was (60.98±1.32)%. With the phagocytosis time went by, the lower MA concentration was needed for the formation of foam cells. With the gradual accumulation of lipids in foam cells, the cell proliferation activity was gradually weakened.
Conclusion:
MA-coated polystyrene microspheres can quickly induce macrophages to form foam cells. MA concentration and the formation of foam cells were positively correlated, and it is time-dependent.
