Measurement of macrophage-mediated killing of intracellular bacteria, including Francisella and mycobacteria

Curr Protoc Immunol. 2011 Apr:Chapter 14:Unit14.25. doi: 10.1002/0471142735.im1425s93.

Abstract

Macrophages activated by T cell cytokines are a critical defense mechanism against intracellular bacterial pathogens. This unit presents two general methods for assessing the capacity of mouse macrophages, activated with either soluble cytokines or whole immune T lymphocytes, to control or reduce numbers of intracellular bacteria residing within them. "Measurement of killing" is inferred from a reduction in the number of colony-forming units (cfu) of bacteria at the end of a culture period, compared to the input numbers of cfu at initiation of culture, to the peak numbers of cfu measured during culture, or to a control group in which killing is expected to be poor.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cytokines / immunology
  • Francisella / immunology*
  • Immunologic Techniques*
  • Macrophages / immunology*
  • Macrophages / microbiology*
  • Mice
  • Mycobacteriaceae / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology

Substances

  • Cytokines