Phenotypical analysis of murine macrophage differentiation
Year: 1989
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Hemopoietic cells perform many vital functions in the maintenance of homeostasis \nand integrity of the body. These functions include, among others, the transport of oxygen \nby erythrocytes, and the initiation of blood clotting by thrombocytes at sites of injury. \nFurthermore, hemopoietic cells are the primary effector cells in the defense against \nmicro-organisms and tumor cells. This defense is mainly carried out by two different cell \ntypes: lymphocytes and phagocytes. The distinction between these cell types is, among \nother things, based upon the different mechanisms that lymphocytes and phagocytes use \nto recognize foreign material. Lymphocytes recognize invading substances by highly \nspecific antigen receptor molecules which are different and specific for each antigen. \nMononuclear and polymorphonuclear phagocytes, on the other hand, discern their \nforeign targets by receptor molecules with much broader specificity, such as lectin-like \nreceptors recognizing carbohydrate moieties. \nFrom an evolutionary point of view, phagocytes are the most 'ancient' cells in host \ndefense. All multicellular animals contain amoeboid phagocytic cells; in some \ninvertebrates such cells are even the only blood cells present. In general, increasing \nevolutionary ancientry coincides with increasing phenotypical diversity. The heterogeneity \namong phagocytes, and especially among the mammalian mononuclear phagocytes, \nclearly demonstrates the validity of this general rule. \nIn this thesis, an analysis is presented of the phenotypical differentiation of murine \nmononuclear phagocytes, i.e. macrophages and their precursors. The term 'differentiation' \nin this context includes both the process of maturation and of diversification. \nIt should be realized, however, that the term 'differentiation' is also generally used as \nequivalent to maturation only. \nIn the next section an introductory overview is given of our current knowledge of \nmacrophage differentiation. The literature cited in this overview primarily deals with \nstudies performed with mice as experimental animals, since the subsequent chapters \ndescribe results of experimental studies using murine cells.
Author: Pieter J. M. Leenen
Language: English
Topic: Immune cells in cancer
Subfield: Immunology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W172206570