Name: analysis of microglia and monocyte-derived macrophages from the central nervous system by flow cytometry
Uploaded: 2017-06-22T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Analysis of Microglia and Monocyte-derived Macrophages from the Central Nervous System by Flow Cytometry at JoVE.com

This work was supported by grants from Agence Nationale pour la Recherche (ANR-12-MALZ-0003-02-P2X7RAD), Association France Alzheimer and Bpifrance. Our laboratory is also supported by Inserm, CNRS, Universit&#233; Pierre et Marie-Curie and the program &#34;Investissements d&#39;avenir&#34; ANR-10-IAIHU-06 (IHU-A-ICM).&#160;We would like to thank the assistance of the CELIS cell culture core facility.

All methods described here have been approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at the ICM Institute and by the Darwin French Ethic Animal Committee, and are covered under the protocol 01407.02.
1. Preparation
<ol>
	<li>Prepare the digestion cocktail in a 1.5 mL tube by combining the following for each mouse: 1 mL Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS); 123 &#181;L digestion enzyme (see table of materials) at 13 wunsch/mL (stock solution), final concentration 1.6 wunsch/mL; and 5 &...

<ol>
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It has been demonstrated that the microglia and MDM have different functions and phenotypes in the CNS, and thus the identification and the analysis of these macrophage subpopulations are essential in order to better understand neurological diseases9,18,25. Flow cytometry analysis using two markers (CD11b and CD45) allows for the distinction between each subpopulation (Figure 3C). This strategy was ...

The microglia are the parenchymal tissue-resident macrophages of the central nervous system (CNS). They play two key functional roles: immune defense and maintenance of the CNS homeostasis. In contrast to the MDM, which are renewed continually from the hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow, the microglial cells differentiate from primitive hematopoietic progenitor cells originating in the yolk sac (YS) that colonized the brain during embryonic development1,2,3. In rodents, the transcription factor Myb plays a crucial role in the development of all bone marrow derived monocytes and macrophages, but for YS derived microglia, this factor is dispensable and differentiation remains dependent on the transcription factor PU.14.
In the healthy CNS, microglia are dynamic cells that constantly sample their environment, scanning and surveying for invading pathogens or tissue damage5. The detection of such signals initiates a pathway to resolve the injury. The microglia rapidly switch from a ramified morphology to an amoeboid one, which is followed by phagocytosis and release of various mediators, such as pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines. Thus, depending on their microenvironment, activated microglia can acquire a spectrum of distinct priming states6.
The microglia profoundly impact the development and progression of many neurological disorders. In the rodent models of Alzheimer&#39;s disease (AD)7, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)8, Multiple Sclerosis (MS)9 or Parkinson disease (PD)10, the microglia are shown to play a dual role, either inducing detrimental neurotoxicity or acting in a neuroprotective manner, which is dependent on the specific disease, the disease stage, and whether the disease was influenced by the systemic immune compartment7,8,9,10,11. Most of the CNS lesions observed in the diseases cited above contain a heterogeneous population of myeloid cells, including not only parenchymal microglia, but also perivascular and meningeal macrophages, as well as CNS-infiltrating MDM. These cell types may differentially contribute to the pathophysiologic mechanisms related to injury and repair7,12,13,14,15. The current challenge for investigators who are studying these disease models is to establish whether the peripheral monocytes and macrophages infiltrate the CNS and if so, to distinguish the resident microglia from these cells. Indeed, the microglial cells are very plastic; when they are activated, the microglia re-express markers that are usually expressed by peripheral monocytes and macrophages. The issue, therefore, relies on identifying markers that can distinguish the resident microglia from the infiltrating monocytes and macrophages.
The discrimination of these populations on brain slices by immunohistological applications is limited due to the lack of specific antibodies. However, flow cytometry analysis is an efficient technique to assess the expression of several markers and to distinguish cell populations (for example, lymphocytes, macrophages/MDM CD11b+CD45high, and microglia CD11b+CD45med), as well as cell subpopulations16,17,18. This protocol describes the procedures for isolating the mononuclear cells from the mouse CNS in neurologic disease models by using an optimized, enzymatic tissue dissociation and a density gradient centrifugation; as well as, a method for differentiating the microglia and MDM populations in the CNS by using flow cytometry.
Another approach is to eliminate the myelin and purify the cells by using magnetic beads conjugated to specific antibodies19,20,21. Myelin removal using anti-myelin magnetic beads is more expensive and affects the viability and the yield of isolated cells22. This step and the following immunomagnetic separation of the microglia, limit further studies of specific immune cell populations21,22.
These procedures provide an easy way to study the macrophage subpopulations in disease development, and to determine the drug effects or gene modifications on macrophage phenotypes and activation states.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="908">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">5-month-old Mice</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Janvier</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">C57BL/6J</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Liberase TL Research Grade</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">5401020001</td>
			<td>Digestion enzyme</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Deoxyribonuclease I from bovine pancreas</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">DN25</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Percoll</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">GE Healthcare Life Sciences</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">17-0891-01&#160;</td>
			<td>Density gradient medium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Cell Strainer size 70 &#181;m Nylon</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Corning</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">731751</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Venofix 25G</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">BRAUN</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">4056370</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Piston syringe 10 mL</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Terumo</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">SS+10ES1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Pasteur pipette 230 mm</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Dustcher</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">20420</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">1,5 mL&#160; tube</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Eppendorf</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">0030 123.328</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">15 mL&#160; tube</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">TPP</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">91015</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">50 mL&#160; tube</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">TPP</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">91050</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">5 mL polystyrene round bottom tube</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">BD Falcon</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">352054</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">D-PBS (1X) without Ca2+/Mg2+</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">14190-094</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">D-PBS (10X) without Ca2+/Mg2+</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">14200-067</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Fetal bovine serum</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">10270-106</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">EDTA</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">E4884</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Bovine Serum Albumin solution 30%</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">A7284</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Paraformaldehyde 32% Solution</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Electron Microscopy Sciences</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">15714-S</td>
			<td>Caution -Toxic</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Saponin</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">S2002</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Sodium Azide</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">47036</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">PerCPCy5.5 Rat anti-mouse CD11b (clone M1/70)</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">eBioscience</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">45-0112</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Rat IgG2b K Isotype Control PerCP-Cyanine5.5</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">eBioscience</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">45-4031&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">BV421 Rat anti-mouse CD45 (clone 30-F11)</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">BD Biosciences</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">563890</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">BV421 Rat IgG2b, &#954; Isotype Control RUO</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">BD Biosciences</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">562603</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Rabbit anti-mouse TMEM119 (clone28-3)</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Abcam</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">ab209064</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">AlexaFluor 647 Donkey anti-rabbit IgG</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td>A31573</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Anti-Mouse CD16/CD32 Purified</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">eBioscience</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">14-0161</td>
			<td>Mouse Fc Block</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Fixable Dead Cell Stain Kits</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">L34969</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Mouse CCR2 APC-conjugated Antibody</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">R&#38;D</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">FAB5538A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Rat IgG2B APC-conjugated Isotype Control</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">R&#38;D</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">IC013A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Mouse CX3CR1 PE-conjugated Antibody</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">R&#38;D</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">FAB5825P</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Goat IgG PE-conjugated Antibody</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">R&#38;D</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">IC108P</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Centrifuge</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">Eppendorf</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">5804R</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Cell analyzer</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">BD Biosciences</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">BD FACSVERSE</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Data Analysis Software</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">FlowJo LLC</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">FlowJo</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Fine scissors</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">F.S.T</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">14090-11</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Standard Pattern Forceps</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">F.S.T</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">11000-13</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Mayo Scissors</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">F.S.T</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">14010-15</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:399px;">Dumont #5 Forceps</td>
			<td style="width:223px;">F.S.T</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">11251-20</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

analysis of microglia and monocyte-derived macrophages from the central nervous system by flow cytometry

Numerous studies have demonstrated the role of immune cells, in particular macrophages, in central nervous system (CNS) pathologies. There are two main macrophage populations in the CNS: (i) the microglia, which are the resident macrophages of the CNS and are derived from yolk sac progenitors during embryogenesis, and (ii) the monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM), which can infiltrate the CNS during disease and are derived from bone marrow progenitors. The roles of each macrophage subpopulation differ depending on the pathology being studied. Furthermore, there is no consensus on the histological markers or the distinguishing criteria used for these macrophage subpopulations. However, the analysis of the expression profiles of the CD11b and CD45 markers by flow cytometry allows us to distinguish the microglia (CD11b+CD45med) from the MDM (CD11b+CD45high). In this protocol, we show that the density gradient centrifugation and the flow cytometry analysis can be used to characterize these CNS macrophage subpopulations, and to study several markers of interest expressed by these cells as we recently published. Thus, this technique can further our understanding of the role of macrophages in mouse models of neurological diseases and can also be used to evaluate drug effects on these cells.

After the density gradient centrifugation and antibody staining, the cells were acquired on a flow cytometer and analyzed using a morphological gating strategy as follows. A first gate was defined in the dot plot Forward-Scattered-Area (FSC-A) versus Forward-Scattered-Height (FSC-H) to discriminate single cells from doublets (Figure 3A). The single cells were then gated on FSC-A versusSide-Scattered-Area (SSC-A) dot plots to exclude cell deb...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Analysis of Microglia and Monocyte-derived Macrophages from the Central Nervous System by Flow Cytometry at JoVE.com

Analysis of Microglia and Monocyte-derived Macrophages from the Central Nervous System by Flow Cytometry

This protocol provides an analysis of the macrophage subpopulations in the adult mouse central nervous system by flow cytometry and is helpful for the study of multiple markers expressed by these cells.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the role of immune cells, in particular macrophages, in central nervous system (CNS) pathologies. There are two main ...

The overall goal of this experiment is to assess the various markers expressed by macrophage subpopulations within the central nervous system or CNS. This method can help answer key questions in the neuroimmunology field, such as duperry macrophages as we try to CNS doing dizzies, and what are the phenotypes of CNS in macrophages. The main advantages of this technique are the isolation of a large number of highly purified macrophage sub-population, as well as a contification of macrophage sub-population cell marker.Begin by using fine scissors to cut the ventral skin just below the xiphoid process to expose the thoracic cavity. Make an incision in the diaphragm, and cut the lateral aspects of the ribcage in a caudal to rostral direction to expose the heart. After identifying the left ventricle and the right atrium, insert a butterfly catheter with a 25 gauage needle into the left ventricle.Make an incision on the right atrium and begin profusing 20 milliliters of PBS through the catheter at a rate of ten milliliters per minute as soon as the blood begins to flow. A successful profusion will be indicated by a blanching of the lungs and the liver as the blood is displaced. Next, use fine scissors to dissect the spinal column.Excising the abdominal wall musculature on the ventral side of the spinal column, and cutting the vertebral column at the base of the tail to remove the spine as it is harvested. Insert a ten milliliter syringe of PBS equipped with a modified 200 microliter pipette tip into the lumbar side of the spinal column. Then flush the spinal cord on the cervical side.Remove the skin above the skull, and insert one tip of the scissors at the base of the skull. Cut the cranium following the sagittal suture. Then insert small forceps into the cut and gently remove the top of the skull.Dissect the brain from the mouse head and remove the olfactory bulb and cerebellum. Then place the brain and spinal cord in a one point five milliliter tube containing one point one two eight milliliters of digestion cocktail. To dissociate the cells, use small scissors to finely cut the brain and spinal cord into one to two cubic millimeter pieces and place the pieces at 37 degrees Celsius and five percent Carbon Dioxide for 30 minutes.At the end of the incubation, stop the digestion with 20 microliters of zero point five molar EDTA, followed by gentle trituration with a five milliliter pipette. Filter the resulting cell suspension through a 70 micron mesh strainer into a 50 milliliter conical tube using the plunger of a ten milliliter syringe to gently macerates any remaining brain or spinal cord tissue. Rinse the strainer with 20 milliliters of five percent FBS and PBS.And collect the filtered cells by centrifugation. Then, carefully aspirate the supernatant without disturbing the pellet. For density gradient separation of the cells, we suspend the pellet with four milliliters of 30 percent density gradient medium, and transferred the cells into a 15 milliliter conical tube.Gently underlay four milliliters of 37 percent density gradient medium, followed by four milliliters of 70 percent density gradient medium under the 37 percent density gradient medium. Transfer the tube to a bench-top centrifuge to separate the cells. The microglia and macrophage cells will be at the interface of the 70 and 37 percent density gradient layers.The tube will appear stratified. After carefully removing the upper layer of myelin, transfer three to four milliliters of the microglia macrophage interphase layer into a new 15 milliliter tube. Then wash the immune cells with three centrifuges in 15 milliliters of PBS, re-suspending the pellet in one milliliter of PBS after the final wash.To asses the macrophage sub-population marker expression, transfer the cells into a five milliliter flow cytometry analysis tube, followed by the addition of one microliter of fixable dead cell stain reagent. After 30 minutes on ice, protected from light, wash the samples in two milliliters of PBS, and re-suspend the pellet in 400 microliters of fax buffer per experimental analysis tube. Split the cells into the appropriate number of five milliliter flow cytometry analysis tubes.Then block the non-specific FC receptor binding with one microgram of CD 16 CD 32 blocking antibody cocktail per 100 microliters of cells for a 10 to 15 minute incubation on ice, protected from light. Next, label the cells with 100 microliters of the appropriate primary antibodies, for a 30 minute incubation on ice, protected from light. At the end of the incubation, wash the cells in two milliliters of PBS four times.Then add 100 microliters of the appropriate secondary antibodies for 30 minutes on ice, protected from light, followed by four washes in PBS as just demonstrated. After the last wash, gently re-suspend the pellets in 100 microliters of one percent paraformaldehyde for 15 minutes at room temperature, protected from light. Then wash the cells four times in PBS.Re-suspend the final pellets in 200 microliters of fresh PBS, and analyze the cells by flow cytometry. Brain-and spinal cord-derived microglia and monocyte-derived macrophages are identified based on their CD 11 B and CD 45 expression. The expression of CX3CR1, and Tmem119, by the CD 11 B positive CD 45 medium microglial cells allows this cell population to be further distinguished from the CD 11 C positives CD 45 high monocyte-derived macrophages, which do not express either of these markers, but do express CCR2.After density gradient separation, 85 to 95 percent of the cells are still viable. In the absence of density gradient isolation, the macrophage subpopulations are not identifiable in a forward bi-side scatter plot, because of the presence of non-macrophage cells, and myelin debris. As the epitope recognized by the anti-Tmem119 antibody is intracellular, permeabilization is required for labeling of this important microglial cell marker.Note that permeabilization induces cell shrinkage, however, causing the macrophage subpopulations to appear smaller by forward versus side scatter analysis. Once mastered, this technique can be completed in five hours if it is performed properly. While I attempted this procedure, it's important to remember to set up the density gradiance very carefully.Following this procedure, other methods, like quantitative rt-PCR can be performed to answer additional questions about macrophage subpopulation signaling pathways. After its development, this technique paved the way for researchers in neuroscience field to explore the activation of macrophage subpopulation in mouse model of neurologic disease. After watching this video, you should either conduct testing or follow this tradition as macrophage subpopulations by flow cytometry.Don't forget that working with paraformaldehyde can be extremely hazardous, and that precautions such as using a hood should always be taken while performing this procedure.

analysis-microglia-monocyte-derived-macrophages-from-central-nervous

Research

JoVE Journal

Immunology and Infection

Culturing Microglia from the Neonatal and Adult Central Nervous System

Microglia are the resident macrophage-like cells of the central nervous system (CNS) and, as such, have critically important roles in physiological and pathological processes such as CNS maturation in development, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injury. Microglia can be activated and recruited to action by neuronal injury or stimulation, such as axonal damage seen in MS or ischemic brain trauma resulting from stroke. These immunocompetent members of the CNS are also thought to have roles in synaptic plasticity under non-pathological conditions. We employ protocols for culturing microglia from the neonatal and adult tissues that are aimed to maximize the viable cell numbers while minimizing confounding variables, such as the presence of other CNS cell types and cell culture debris. We utilize large and easily discernable CNS components (e.g. cortex, spinal cord segments), which makes the entire process feasible and reproducible. The use of adult cells is a suitable alternative to the use of neonatal brain microglia, as many pathologies studied mainly affect the postnatal spinal cord. These culture systems are also useful for directly testing the effect of compounds that may either inhibit or promote microglial activation. Since microglial activation can shape the outcomes of disease in the adult CNS, there is a need for in vitro systems in which neonatal and adult microglia can be cultured and studied.

We outline methods for the efficient and quick isolation/culture of viable microglia from the neonatal cerebral cortex and adult spinal cord. The dissection and plating of cortical microglia can be accomplished within 90 minutes, with the subsequent microglial harvest taking place ~ 10 days following the initial dissection.

Microglia are the resident macrophage-like cells of the central nervous system (CNS) and, as such, have critically important roles in physiological and ...

Characterization of Human Monocyte-derived Dendritic Cells by Imaging Flow Cytometry: A Comparison between Two Monocyte Isolation Protocols

Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen presenting cells of the immune system that play a crucial role in lymphocyte responses, host defense mechanisms, and pathogenesis of inflammation. Isolation and study of DCs have been important in biological research because of their distinctive features. Although they are essential key mediators of the immune system, DCs are very rare in blood, accounting for approximately 0.1 - 1% of total blood mononuclear cells. Therefore, alternatives for isolation methods rely on the differentiation of DCs from monocytes isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The utilization of proper isolation techniques that combine simplicity, affordability, high purity, and high yield of cells is imperative to consider. In the current study, two distinct methods for the generation of DCs will be compared. Monocytes were selected by adherence or negatively enriched using magnetic separation procedure followed by differentiation into DCs with IL-4 and GM-CSF. Monocyte and MDDC viability, proliferation, and phenotype were assessed using viability dyes, MTT assay, and CD11c/ CD14 surface marker analysis by imaging flow cytometry. Although the magnetic separation method yielded a significant higher percentage of monocytes with higher proliferative capacity when compared to the adhesion method, the findings have demonstrated the ability of both techniques to simultaneously generate monocytes that are capable of proliferating and differentiating into viable CD11c+ MDDCs after seven days in culture. Both methods yielded &gt; 70% CD11c+ MDDCs. Therefore, our results provide insights that contribute to the development of reliable methods for isolation and characterization of human DCs.

This study compares two different methods of human monocyte isolation for obtaining in vitro dendritic cells (DCs). Monocytes are selected by adherence or negatively enriched by magnetic separation. Monocyte yield and viability along with MDDC viability, proliferation and CD11c/CD14 surface marker expression will be compared between both methods.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen presenting cells of the immune system that play a crucial role in lymphocyte responses, host defense mechanisms, and ...

Phenotypic Characterization of Macrophages from Rat Kidney by Flow Cytometry

There is increasing evidence suggesting the important role of inflammation and, subsequently, macrophages in the development and progression of renal disease. Macrophages are heterogeneous cells that have been implicated in kidney injury. Macrophages may be classified into two different phenotypes: classically activated macrophages (M1 macrophages), that release pro-inflammatory cytokines and promote fibrosis; and alternatively activated macrophages (M2 macrophages) that are associated with immunoregulatory and tissue-remodeling functions. These macrophage phenotypes need to be discriminated and analyzed to determine their contribution to renal injury. However, there are scarce studies reporting consistent phenotypic and functional information about macrophage subtypes in inflammatory renal disease models, especially in rats. This fact may be related to the limited macrophage markers used in rats, contrary to mice. Therefore, novel strategies are necessary to quantify and characterize the renal content of these infiltrating cells in a reliable way. This manuscript details a protocol for kidney digestion and further phenotypic and quantitative analysis of macrophages from rat kidneys by flow cytometry. Briefly, kidneys were incubated with collagenase and total macrophages were identified according to the dual presence of CD45 (leukocytes common antigen) and CD68 (PAN macrophage marker) in live cells.This was followed by surface staining of CD86 (M1 marker) and CD163 (M2 marker). Rat peritoneal macrophages were used as positive control for macrophage marker detection by flow cytometry. Our protocol resulted in low cellular mortality and allowed characterization of different intracellular and surface protein markers, thus limiting the loss of cellular integrity observed in other protocols. Moreover, this procedure allows the use of macrophages for further techniques, including cell sorting and mRNA or protein expression studies, among others.

This manuscript describes a detailed protocol for phenotypic and quantitative analysis of resident macrophages from rat kidneys by flow cytometry. The resulting stained cells can be also used for other applications, including cell sorting, gene expression analysis or functional studies, thus increasing the information obtained in the experimental model.

There is increasing evidence suggesting the important role of inflammation and, subsequently, macrophages in the development and progression of renal ...

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of the Immune Synapse in the Human System Using Imaging Flow Cytometry

The immune synapse is the area of communication between T cells and antigen-presenting cells (APCs). T cells polarize surface receptors and proteins towards the immune synapse to assure a stable binding and signal exchange. Classical confocal, TIRF, or super-resolution microscopy have been used to study the immune synapse. Since these methods require manual image acquisition and time-consuming quantification, the imaging of rare events is challenging. Here, we describe a workflow that enables the morphological analysis of tens of thousands of cells. Immune synapses are induced between primary human T cells in pan-leukocyte preparations and Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B (SEB)-loaded Raji cells as APCs. Image acquisition is performed with imaging flow cytometry, also called In-Flow microscopy, which combines features of a flow cytometer and a fluorescence microscope. A complete gating strategy for identifying T cell/APC couples and analyzing the immune synapses is provided. As this workflow allows the analysis of immune synapses in unpurified pan-leukocyte preparations and hence requires only a small volume of blood (i.e., 1 mL), it can be applied to samples from patients. Importantly, several samples can be prepared, measured, and analyzed in parallel.

Here, we describe a complete workflow for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of immune synapses between primary human T cells and antigen-presenting cells. The method is based on imaging flow cytometry, which allows the acquisition and evaluation of several thousand cell images within a relatively short period of time.

The immune synapse is the area of communication between T cells and antigen-presenting cells (APCs). T cells polarize surface receptors and proteins ...

Isolation, Characterization, and Purification of Macrophages from Tissues Affected by Obesity-related Inflammation

Obesity promotes a chronic inflammatory state that is largely mediated by tissue-resident macrophages as well as monocyte-derived macrophages. Diet-induced obesity (DIO) is a valuable model in studying the role of macrophage heterogeneity; however, adequate macrophage isolations are difficult to acquire from inflamed tissues. In this protocol, we outline the isolation steps and necessary troubleshooting guidelines derived from our studies for obtaining a suitable population of tissue-resident macrophages from mice following 18 weeks of high-fat (HFD) or high-fat/high-cholesterol (HFHCD) diet intervention. This protocol focuses on three hallmark tissues studied in obesity and atherosclerosis including the liver, white adipose tissues (WAT), and the aorta. We highlight how dualistic usage of flow cytometry can achieve a new dimension of isolation and characterization of tissue-resident macrophages. A fundamental section of this protocol addresses the intricacies underlying tissue-specific enzymatic digestions and macrophage isolation, and subsequent cell-surface antibody staining for flow cytometric analysis. This protocol addresses existing complexities underlying fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS) and presents clarifications to these complexities so as to obtain broad range characterization from adequately sorted cell populations. Alternate enrichment methods are included for sorting cells, such as the dense liver, allowing for flexibility and time management when working with FACS. In brief, this protocol aids the researcher to evaluate macrophage heterogeneity from a multitude of inflamed tissues in a given study and provides insightful troubleshooting tips that have been successful for favorable cellular isolation and characterization of immune cells in DIO-mediated inflammation.

This protocol allows a researcher to isolate and characterize tissue-resident macrophages in various hallmark inflamed tissues extracted from diet-induced models of metabolic disorders.

Obesity promotes a chronic inflammatory state that is largely mediated by tissue-resident macrophages as well as monocyte-derived macrophages. ...

Isolation and In Vitro Culture of Murine and Human Alveolar Macrophages

Alveolar macrophages are terminally differentiated, lung-resident macrophages of prenatal origin. Alveolar macrophages are unique in their long life and their important role in lung development and function, as well as their lung-localized responses to infection and inflammation. To date, no unified method for identification, isolation, and handling of alveolar macrophages from humans and mice exists. Such a method is needed for studies on these important innate immune cells in various experimental settings. The method described here, which can be easily adopted by any laboratory, is a simplified approach to harvesting alveolar macrophages from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid or from lung tissue and maintaining them in vitro. Because alveolar macrophages primarily occur as adherent cells in the alveoli, the focus of this method is on dislodging them prior to harvest and identification. The lung is a highly vascularized organ, and various cell types of myeloid and lymphoid origin inhabit, interact, and are influenced by the lung microenvironment. By using the set of surface markers described here, researchers can easily and unambiguously distinguish alveolar macrophages from other leukocytes, and purify them for downstream applications. The culture method developed herein supports both human and mouse alveolar macrophages for in vitro growth, and is compatible with cellular and molecular studies.

Isolation and In Vitro Culture of Murine and Human Alveolar Macrophages

This communication describes methodologies for isolation and culture of alveolar macrophages from humans and murine models for experimental purposes.

Alveolar macrophages are terminally differentiated, lung-resident macrophages of prenatal origin. Alveolar macrophages are unique in their long life and ...

Characterization of Human Monocyte Subsets by Whole Blood Flow Cytometry Analysis

Monocytes are key contributors in various inflammatory disorders and alterations to these cells, including their subset proportions and functions, can have pathological significance. An ideal method for examining alterations to monocytes is whole blood flow cytometry as the minimal handling of samples by this method limits artifactual cell activation. However, many different approaches are taken to gate the monocyte subsets leading to inconsistent identification of the subsets between studies. Here we demonstrate a method using whole blood flow cytometry to identify and characterize human monocyte subsets (classical, intermediate, and non-classical). We outline how to prepare the blood samples for flow cytometry, gate the subsets (ensure contaminating cells have been removed), and determine monocyte subset expression of surface markers &#8212; in this example M1 and M2 markers. This protocol can be extended to other studies that require a standard gating method for assessing monocyte subset proportions and monocyte subset expression of other functional markers.

Here we present a protocol for characterizing monocyte subsets by whole blood flow cytometry. This includes outlining how to gate the subsets and assess their expression of surface markers and giving an example of the assessment of the expression of M1 (inflammatory) and M2 markers (anti-inflammatory).

Monocytes are key contributors in various inflammatory disorders and alterations to these cells, including their subset proportions and functions, can ...

Flow Cytometric Analysis of Lymphocyte Infiltration in Central Nervous System during Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) caused by the combination of environmental factors and susceptible genetic background. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a typical disease model of MS widely used for investigating the pathogenesis in which T lymphocytes specific for myelin antigens initiate an inflammatory reaction in CNS. It is very important to assess how lymphocytes in the CNS regulate the development of disease. However, the approach for measuring the quantity and quality of infiltrated lymphocytes in the CNS is very limited due to the difficulties in isolating and detecting infiltrated lymphocytes from the brain. This manuscript presents a protocol for that is useful for the isolation, identification, and characterization of infiltrated lymphocytes from the CNS and will be helpful for our understanding of how lymphocytes are involved in the development of the CNS autoimmune disease.

This manuscript presents a protocol to induce active experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in mice. A method for the isolation and characterization of the infiltrated lymphocytes in the central nervous system (CNS) is also presented to show how lymphocytes are involved in the development of CNS autoimmune disease.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) caused by the combination of environmental factors and susceptible ...

Isolating Central Nervous System Tissues and Associated Meninges for the Downstream Analysis of Immune cells

The central nervous system (CNS) is comprised of the brain and spinal cord and is enveloped by the meninges, membranous layers serving as a barrier between the periphery and the CNS. The CNS is an immunologically specialized site, and in steady state conditions, immune privilege is most evident in the CNS parenchyma. In contrast, the meninges harbor a diverse array of resident cells, including innate and adaptive immune cells. During inflammatory conditions triggered by CNS injury, autoimmunity, infection, or even neurodegeneration, peripherally derived immune cells may enter the parenchyma and take up residence within the meninges. These cells are thought to perform both beneficial and detrimental actions during CNS disease pathogenesis. Despite this knowledge, the meninges are often overlooked when analyzing the CNS compartment, because conventional CNS tissue extraction methods omit the meningeal layers. This protocol presents two distinct methods for the rapid isolation of murine CNS tissues (i.e., brain, spinal cord, and meninges) that are suitable for downstream analysis via single-cell techniques, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization methods. The described methods provide a comprehensive analysis of CNS tissues, ideal for assessing the phenotype, function, and localization of cells occupying the CNS compartment under homeostatic conditions and during disease pathogenesis.

This paper presents two optimized protocols for examining resident and peripherally derived immune cells within the central nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and meninges. Each of these protocols helps to ascertain the function and composition of the cells occupying these compartments under steady state and inflammatory conditions.

The central nervous system (CNS) is comprised of the brain and spinal cord and is enveloped by the meninges, membranous layers serving as a barrier ...

Isolation of Mouse Kidney-Resident CD8+ T cells for Flow Cytometry Analysis

Tissue-resident memory T cell (TRM) is a rapidly expanding field of immunology research. Isolating T cells from various non-lymphoid tissues is one of the key steps to investigate TRMs. There are slight variations in lymphocyte isolation protocols for different organs. Kidney is an essential non-lymphoid organ with numerous immune cell infiltration especially after pathogen exposure or autoimmune activation. In recent years, multiple labs including our own have started characterizing kidney resident CD8+ T cells in various physiological and pathological settings in both mouse and human. Due to the abundance of T lymphocytes, kidney represents an attractive model organ to study TRMs in non-mucosal or non-barrier tissues. Here, we will describe a protocol commonly used in TRM-focused labs to isolate CD8+ T cells from mouse kidneys following systemic viral infection. Briefly, using an acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection model in C57BL/6 mice, we demonstrate intravascular CD8+ T cell labeling, enzymatic digestion, and density gradient centrifugation to isolate and enrich lymphocytes from mouse kidneys to make samples ready for the subsequent flow cytometry analysis.

Isolation of Mouse Kidney-Resident CD8+ T cells for Flow Cytometry Analysis

Following viral infection, kidney harbors a relatively large number of CD8+ T cells and offers an opportunity to study non-mucosal TRM cells. Here, we describe a protocol to isolate mouse kidney lymphocytes for flow cytometry analysis.

Tissue-resident memory T cell (TRM) is a rapidly expanding field of immunology research. Isolating T cells from various non-lymphoid tissues is one of the ...