|
Authors:
|
David G. Russell, Brian VanderVen, Sarah Glennie, Henry Mwandumba, Robert Heyderman
|
|
Abstract:
|
Professional phagocytes ingest particulate material to fulfill a diverse array of functions within a multi-cellular organism. The ancestral function of phagosomes is digestion, however, through evolution, this degradative capacity has become pivotal to the adaptive immune response by processing antigens to be presented to lymphocytes. Moreover, phagocytes have also acquired an active role in microbial killing. This Innovation article describes new assays that probe the biological activities in phagosomes. These assays provide functional insights into how the phagosome fulfills its diverse roles in homeostasis, and innate and adaptive immune responses.
|
