Current Projects

• Role of tumor associated macrophages in CaP 
  Submitted by Sandra Gollnick  (Roswell Park Cancer Inst., Buffalo, United States) 11/3/2010
  We are investigating the contribution of tumor associated macrophages to the growth of prostate cancer (CaP)



• Establishment of isolation, culture and identification model of mouse hepatic stellate cells 
  Submitted by Chang Wen-ju  (Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai, China) 10/3/2010
  To establish a high-performance and stable model for isolation and purification of the adult mouse hepatic stellate cells,and investigate their biological phenotype through primary culture and subculture.



• Role of Myeloid Cells in Vasculogenesis 
  Submitted by Ruei-Zeng Lin  (Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, United States) 8/3/2010
  Role of Myeloid Cells in Vasculogenesis



• Macrophage in Xenotransplantatioin 
  Submitted by Tingting Liang  (Mass General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States) 5/3/2010
  We are trying to study the influence of macrophage in xenotransplantion.



• Test the function of hepatocytes derived from ES cells 
  Submitted by xijun song  (Peking university, Peking, China) 4/3/2010
  We are working on generating hepatocytes from ES cells. To test the function of these cells, we need to transplant them to mouse. To decrease immne rejection, we treat mice with clodronate to eliminate macrophage.



• Liposomal clondronate ameliorate renal injury in rhabdomyolysis mouse model. 
  Submitted by Jin Kim  (Clinical Research Institute, Jinju, Gyeongnam, Korea, South) 3/3/2010
  Macrophage may play major role in pathogenesis of renal injury in rhabdomyolysis mouse model. To prove this, we are going to deplete macrophage by injecting liposomal clondronate before glycerol administration. If macrophage is major component of renal injury, depletion of this ameliorates renal injury. We are going to check severity of renal injury by checking serum BUN and creatinine value and histological and immunological method.



• Role of Kupffer cells in the regulation of hepatic NKT cell function 
  Submitted by Ian Hines  (Univeristy of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States) 2/3/2010
  The current studies are designed to better understand the interactions of Kupffer cells with hepatic NKT cells. Previous studies have demonstrated the ability of KCs to regulate the survival of hepatic NKT cells within the steatotic liver. As Kupffer cells express CD1d and likely contribute to antigen presentation to NKT cells, their ability to not only regulate survival but also function and cytokine production exists. Thus, the current studies will focus on understanding the importance and impact of KCs during specific NKT cell activation and their subsequent production of key T helper cytokines both in the undamaged as well as chronically damaged liver.



• Effect of macrophages/monocytes depletion on development and/or progression of murine colitis 
  Submitted by Dmitry Ostanin  (LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, United States) 2/3/2010
  Recruitment of various myeloid cell subsets to the intestine is a clinical hallmark of inflammatory bowel disease in humans and in mice. We would like to determine the effect of depletion of macrophages/monocytes on the development of IBD using T cell trasnfer model of colitis.



• Pi3k mediates Campylobacter jejuni induced colitis in IL10 deficient mice 
  Submitted by Jack Sun  (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States) 1/3/2010
  Campylobacter jejuni is one of the leading enteric pathogen in developed countries. The pathogenesis of C. jejuni is ill- defined. We have found the PI3K mediated C. jejuni induced colitis in IL10 deficient mice. To further determine which cell population is mediated by PI3K, we plan to deplete colonic macraphage. After this experiment, we will understand the rule of macrophage in C. jejuni induced colitis.



• Role of nuclear receptors in tumor macrophages 
  Submitted by Rolf Müller  (Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany) 2/25/2010
  We are interested in the function of nuclear receptors in the tumor stroma. To this end we analyze the effect of synthetic ligands and gene-specific knockouts on the function of specific stromal cell types in mouse tumor models. As part of these experiments we use clodonate lipososome to dissect the crosstalk between tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and other stromal cell types.
  More: http://www.imt.uni-marburg.de