Avian macrophages: contribution to cellular microenvironment and changes in effector functions following activation

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 8, 2026

Bone Marrow-derived Macrophage Production
07:06

Bone Marrow-derived Macrophage Production

Published on: November 22, 2013

M A Qureshi1, J N Petitte, S M Laster

  • 1Department of Poultry Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695.

Poultry Science
|July 1, 1993
PubMed

Insights

Macrophages produce effector molecules like tumor necrosis factor (TNF) that impact their environment. Chicken TNF targets chicken cells, and its production is affected by stressors like heat and toxins.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • Macrophages are key immune cells influencing their microenvironment through secreted products.
  • Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation induces macrophages to produce reactive oxygen/nitrogen species and tumor necrosis factor (TNF).
  • These macrophage-derived bioactive molecules can act locally or systemically.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the bioactivity and regulation of macrophage-derived products, specifically focusing on avian TNF.
  • To understand the cellular targets of chicken TNF.
  • To explore the influence of environmental stressors on TNF production and activity.

Main Methods:

  • Macrophage stimulation assays with bacterial lipopolysaccharide.
  • Analysis of secreted macrophage products, including reactive oxygen/nitrogen intermediates and TNF.
  • Cell lysis assays to determine the target specificity of chicken TNF.
  • Exposure of macrophages to environmental stressors (heat, toxins) to assess effects on TNF generation.

Main Results:

  • Macrophage stimulation yields reactive oxygen/nitrogen intermediates and TNF.
  • Chicken TNF demonstrates specific cytolytic activity against avian cells, not mammalian cells.
  • Environmental stressors such as heat and toxins significantly modulate the generation and activity of TNF.

Conclusions:

  • Macrophage-derived products, including TNF, play a critical role in modulating the cellular microenvironment.
  • Chicken TNF exhibits species-specific cytotoxicity, highlighting evolutionary differences in immune effector functions.
  • Environmental factors are crucial regulators of macrophage effector functions, impacting immune responses and cellular health.

More Related Videos

Interrogating Cell-Cell Interactions in the Salivary Gland via Ex Vivo Live Cell Imaging05:40

Interrogating Cell-Cell Interactions in the Salivary Gland via Ex Vivo Live Cell Imaging

Published on: November 17, 2023

Related Concept Videos

Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes01:27

Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes

Immune surveillance is an integral part of the innate immune system, involving the continuous monitoring of peripheral tissues to detect and respond to pathogens, infected cells, or cancerous cells. This surveillance is conducted primarily by natural killer (NK) cells and phagocytes, which employ distinct but complementary mechanisms to identify and eliminate threats.
Natural Killer Cells: The Fast Responders
NK cells are large granular lymphocytes found in the blood and lymphatic system. These...
Cells of the Innate Immune Response01:28

Cells of the Innate Immune Response

The innate immune response is an immediate and non-specific response against pathogens, acting swiftly to prevent the spread of infections. The primary cells involved in this response are phagocytes and natural killer (NK) cells.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes police the peripheral tissues by removing cellular debris and responding to the invasion of foreign substances or pathogens. Many phagocytes attack and remove microorganisms even before lymphocytes detect them. The human body has two general...
Cell-mediated Immune Responses01:40

Cell-mediated Immune Responses

Overview
Chronic Inflammation: Introduction01:12

Chronic Inflammation: Introduction

Chronic inflammation is a prolonged, dysregulated immune response that persists for weeks to years when the inciting stimulus is difficult to eradicate or when self‑antigens drive ongoing reactivity. Morphologically, it is defined by mononuclear cell infiltration, progressive tissue destruction, and concurrent attempts at healing via angiogenesis and fibrosis. Compared with acute inflammation, edema is less prominent while cellular infiltration predominates; triggers include persistent...
Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells01:15

Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells

Common myeloid progenitors (CMPs) are oligopotent cells that can differentiate into granulocytes and macrophages. Granulocytes and macrophages are essential for protecting the body against bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. They migrate from the bone marrow into the circulating blood to reach specific tissue sites where they differentiate and help in immune surveillance. However, they survive only for a few days and must be continuously made available to the organism to maintain a robust...
T Cell Types and Functions01:24

T Cell Types and Functions

When T cells with CD4 markers are activated, they give rise to two types of effector cells: helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Meanwhile, T cells with CD8 markers differentiate into effector cytotoxic T cells. The differentiation of CD4 T cells into helper T cell subsets, such as Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells, is dependent on the antigen type, antigen-presenting cell, and regulatory cytokines.
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...