“Can You Hear Me Now?” Cell Communication

Abstract

In the immune system cell communication is required to make sure that the appropriate cells are recruited to sites of inflammation. Communication usually occurs through secretion of specific proteins called chemokines and cytokines, which attract specific cell types. A series of laboratory investigation provide students with the understanding of how the body reacts to foreign invaders by recruiting these appropriate cell types. Students will understand how chemokines and cytokines as proteins that are secreted by macrophages, dendritic cells and helper T‐cells act as signals that induce other immune cells to perform functions that help to regulate an inflammation response. The first step of the laboratory protocol consists of students separating an “unknown” simulated blood sample by column chromatography. Once the red blood cells are separated from the plasma, the elution from the column, representing the immune cell fraction, is collected for use in the next step. This part of the protocol is called the Ouchterlony technique; it determines the interaction of chemoattractant‐interleukine 16 (IL‐16) and macrophage inflammatory proteins (MIP) in the migration of CD4 Helper T cells (which become Th1 and Th2 cells), cheek cells and an unknown. If a chemical reaction occurs between the cytokine, helper T cell, cheek cells and the unknown, a precipitation band will form demonstrating cell‐specific chemokine to cell migration therefore cell signaling. Students will analyze these results to determine if a migratory response has occurred, how these cells are communicating and also determine which chemokine attracts the migration of the unknown.