Laser scanning cytometry: capturing the immune system in situ.

摘要: Until recently, it has not been possible to image and functionally correlate the key molecular cellular events underpinning immunity tolerance in intact immune system. Certainly, field revolutionized by advent of tetramers identify physiologically relevant specificities T cells, introduction models which transgenic T-cell receptor and/or B-cell receptor-bearing lymphocytes are adoptively transferred into normal mice can then be identified clonotype-specific antibodies using flow cytometry vitro, or immunohistochemistry ex vivo. However, these approaches do allow for quantitative analysis precise anatomical, phenotypic, signaling, functional parameters required dissecting development responses health disease Traditionally, assessment signal transduction pathways biochemical biological isolated highly purified subsets system cells. Inevitably, this creates potential artifacts does identification signaling individual cells present their microenvironment situ. These difficulties have now overcome new methodologies cell that sufficiently sensitive detect occurring situ technologies such as laser scanning provide tools analyze interactions between molecules innate adaptive within natural environmental niche