The tumor microenvironment (TME) is the complex “neighborhood” of cells and structures that surround and interact with a tumor. It includes not only cancer cells but also many non-cancerous cells and support structures that influence how the tumor grows and behaves. This environment and the tumor constantly communicate with each other, shaping disease progression. Get …
The human immune system is a complex and fascinating network of cells that work together to protect our bodies from harmful pathogens. However, what you may not know is that these cells also have a sense of humor! Here is a list of hilarious posts that immune cells would write if they had a LinkedIn …
Flowcytometry is a technology that can be used to phenotype cells by analyzing the expression of cell surface and intracellular molecules. It rapidly analyzes single cells or particles as they flow past single or multiple lasers while suspended in a buffered salt-based solution. Each particle is analyzed for visible light scatter and one or multiple …
Cytotoxic T cells (CTLs), also known as Killer T cells, are a special type of T cells with the ability to kill other cells. Usually they kill cells that have been infected with a virus. This way the virus can no longer use these cells for replicating inside of them. CTLs secrete cytotoxins to kill the other …
Our immune cells are our own little personal warriors that keep us safe from the “bad guys” which are usually disease causing microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungi. To learn about these cells with a card game a group at the Institute of Immunity and Transplantation at University College of London together with designer …
API stands for 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole and it is a fluorescent stain that binds to DNA in the nucleus. It is a stain used very often in fluorescence microscopy, when excited with ultraviolet light DAPI emits a blue light. This makes the stain very popular in fluorescence microscopy making the nuclei visible in a blue colour. Scientists …
Phagocytosis is the process by which particulate material is endocytosed (“eaten”) by a cell (From Greek phagein, to eat.). The process of phagocytosis is one of the many different ways our immune cells fight infections. Macrophages and neutrophils are cells of the immune system that use phagocytosis to bind and ingest invading microorganisms. Phagocytosis is a complex mechanism that …
The granulocytes are so called because they have densely granules in their cytoplasm; they are also called polymorphonuclear leukocytes because of their lobulated nuclei. There are three types of granulocytes: Neutrophils can perform phagocytosis and are the most abundant type of granulocytes and the most abundant type of white blood cells overall in most mammals. Eosinophils make up …
This video shows how dendritic cells growing in culture are transfected with a plasmid containing a gene for the Green fluorescent protein (GFP). Transfection is the process of deliberately introducing nucleic acids into eukaryotic cells. Various methods can be used to transfect. Electroporation, shown in this video, is a technique by which an externally applied …
