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Follicular Dendritic Cell Isolation and Loading of Immune Complexes
Balthasar A Heesters1, Cees E Van der Poel1, Michael C Carroll2
1Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Insights
This study details methods for isolating follicular dendritic cells (FDCs), crucial immune cells in lymph nodes. Researchers can now culture, sort, and load FDCs with immune complexes for further study.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) are stromal cells residing in B cell follicles of lymphoid organs.
- Their low abundance and isolation challenges have limited comprehensive study.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish reliable methods for isolating and culturing follicular dendritic cells (FDCs).
- To enable in vivo and in vitro loading of FDCs with immune complexes.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of FDCs from lymphoid tissues.
- Flow cytometry for cell sorting.
- Ex vivo cell culture techniques.
- In vivo and in vitro immune complex loading protocols.
Main Results:
- Successful isolation and culture of viable FDCs.
- Demonstration of effective immune complex loading onto FDCs.
- Establishment of protocols for FDC manipulation.
Conclusions:
- The described methods facilitate the study of FDCs.
- These techniques will aid in understanding FDC function in immune responses.
Abstract:
Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) are stromal cells that are centrally located within B cell follicles of lymph nodes and other lymphoid organs such as the spleen. Due to their relative low abundance and difficulty to isolate, FDCs are still largely an enigma. Here we describe how to isolate FDCs for ex vivo cell culture, sorting by flow cytometry and how to load them in vivo or in vitro with immune complexes.
