Immune function studies proliferation assays

Preclinical studies have shown that impaired immune function determined using a variety of assays, e.g., the plaque-forming cell (PFC) assay, lymphocyte proliferation, delayed-type hypersensitivity, and NK cell activity, is associated with decreased resistance toward experimental infections (Luster et al., 1994). When a drug candidate has been shown to impair immune function in animal studies, the question arises whether similarly negative effects can also be seen in treated human subjects. 

In addition to being able to recognize the different cells involved in the acquired immune system of marine mammals, it is important to assure that the cells perform their functions appropriately. The ability of lymphocytes to proliferate upon stimulation (usually with mitogens) has been studied for several decades [1,12,14,15, 32-35], Recent advances include the demonstration of a conserved specificity for standard mitogens used in beluga whales [32] and harbor seals [33], An assay to assess the expression of the receptor for interleukin-2 (IL-2), an early event in lymphocyte activation, was adapted in harbor seals [35], bottlenose dolphins [36], and sea otters [37], Molecular and biochemical mechanisms of activation of beluga T lymphocytes do not vary substantially from those in other mammals [38],... 

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