Macrophage and Monocyte Assays

Macrophages and monocytes play essential roles in pathogen defense, tissue repair and inflammation regulation. Their importance in chronic disease, cancer and autoimmune disorders makes them important targets for therapeutic research. We provide in vitro macrophage and monocyte assay services to characterize their phenotypes, functions and responses in disease-relevant models.

Macrophage Differentiation and Polarization Assays

We analyze macrophage differentiation from precursor cells and polarization into M1 pro-inflammatory and M2 anti-inflammatory phenotypes. Flow cytometry is used to assess phenotype-associated surface markers and cytokines, including CD80 and CD86 for M1 macrophages and CD206 and CD163 for M2 macrophages. The service also evaluates the ability of macrophages to transition between M1 and M2 states.

Tumor-Associated Macrophage (TAM) Assays

Flow cytometry enables identification of TAM populations, characterization of their phenotypes, quantification of their abundance and assessment of activation status within the tumor microenvironment. Functional assays can further evaluate TAM-mediated immunosuppression, cytokine secretion and phagocytic capacity.

ADCP Assays

Our antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) service uses flow cytometry and IncuCyte imaging to assess whether anti-CD47 or other opsonizing antibodies enhance macrophage phagocytosis of tumor cells. By quantifying macrophage-mediated engulfment in the presence of these antibodies, the assay supports evaluation of immunotherapeutic strategies targeting CD47 and tumor-associated macrophages.

Cytokine Profiling Assays

We characterize macrophage and monocyte cytokine-secretion profiles to distinguish anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory responses under defined experimental conditions.

Receptor Internalization and Trafficking Assays

Using confocal microscopy and high-content imaging, we examine receptor internalization and intracellular trafficking in macrophages. These measurements provide insights into receptor dynamics, signaling pathways and cellular responses to test compounds or biologics.