A Non-invasive Technique to Measure Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-Stimulated Macrophage Phagocytic Function

Abstract

Introduction: Sepsis is the leading cause of death in critically ill patients in the United States. Clinical diagnosis of sepsis relies heavily on bacterial cultures and the manifestation of clinical signs. However, underlying biological changes of sepsis may occur hours to days before the clinical presentation of symptoms, therefore early detection of biological perturbations may provide crucial opportunities for early diagnosis and treatment of sepsis. Macrophages play a pivotal role in the early systemic response to infection by phagocytosis of microbes and augmentation of the host immune response, in liver and elsewhere.