Cell proliferation, monitoring

Data about curcunfin encapsulated in liposomes have been reported recently. The authors encapsulated curcumin into a liposomal delivery system in order to study the in vitro and in vivo effects of this compound on proliferation, apoptosis, signaling, and angiogenesis using human pancreatic carcinoma cells. Carotenoids of different polarities and in competition with cholesterol were specifically incorporated into liposomes in order to mimic the physiological uptake by cells and monitor their antioxidant capacities. ... 

In another study by Larson et al. (1994d) the possible relationships among chloroform-induced cytolethality, regenerative cell proliferation, and tumor induction were identified in male B6C3Fi mice dosed with chloroform by gavage in com oil. Mice received chloroform at doses of 0, 34, 90, 138, or 277 mg/kg/day for 5 days a week for 3 weeks. To monitor cell proliferation, mice were administered BrdU... 

XTT assay is suitable for measuring cell proliferation, cell viability or cytotoxicity. The tetrazolium salts are converted into a coloured formazan product by cellular enzymes present in the mitochondria of a metabolically active cell. These enzymes are rapidly inactivated when a cell dies, and hence the activity of these enzymes can be used to monitor the viability of a cell. 

It is also important to monitor the yield of the product of interest to determine that the serum lot does not affect its production. However, remember that the serum will not be part of the final medium and is only a tool for developing a serum-free medium. High cell proliferation is the goal. 

Immune suppression. Decreased activity of the immune cells that monitor for damaged cells (NK, or natural killer cells) can allow the damaged cells to proliferate. 

Numerous reviews have documented immune modulation in response to metal, pesticide and organic contaminants in fish4,19,37,135. Assays traditionally used to assess perturbations of immune function in fish fall into three broad categories pathogen challenge models, assays that monitor immune suppression/activation or immuno-pathology. Immune suppression/activation is usually measured with assays of phagocytosis, respiratory burst, cell proliferation, as well as quantification of soluble factors such as lysozyme, serum antibody, CRP or complement. 

Markers for cytotoxicity not measured from the BAL include cytokines. Cytokines are proteins that indicate specific types of cellular responses. Monitoring various cytokine levels in exposure studies can provide information about cells that are targeted because each cytokine possesses a specific function. There are more than 18 cytokines that have been identified, and cytokines commonly examined in toxicity studies can be grouped into pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and cell proliferation and differentiation stimuli subsets (47). Measuring cytokine levels along with BAL fluid markers allows a better understanding of the types of cells being activated and the types of injuries induced by the introduction of the nanomaterial. 

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