Image-Based Analysis of Phagocytosis: Measuring Engulfment and Internalization

The process of phagocytosis is crucial for fighting infection in innate immunity, for maintaining homeostasis through clearing cell debris, and for tissue remodeling in development. Here we describe two semi-automated image-based assays for the quantitative characterization of the early stages of phagocytosis and pathogen entry. A feature of these assays is the ability to detect and assess molecules or agents that subtly affect the stages both before and after cup closure or internalization.