International Day of Immunology
April 29 is the International Day of Immunology!
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 …
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 …
In an immunological synapse the membrane between the antigen presenting cell (APC) and the t cell touch. They exchange signals so the APC can present an antigen to the t cell. In this case the APC is a dendritic cell that has the right antigen for the t cell and love is in the air. …
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 …
Adoptive cell transfer refers to the transfer of cells into an organism, which could be a patient or in the case of this cartoon, a mouse. This is a very common technique used in immunology research to understand how the cells behave. Adoptive Cell Transfer in Immunology Research Typically, the cells that are being transfer …
This cartoon is showing the battle between a leukocyte and a bacterium. Who will win? The interactions between the host cell and a pathogen trying to invade an organism, commonly referred to as host-pathogen interactions, are very important to understand disease. Each pathogen might have a unique way of interacting with their host and the …