Murine Macrophages: A Technical Approach

In this chapter, we describe current protocols used for the characterization of macrophages (MΦ) in mouse tissues and in cell suspensions from spleen and lymph nodes. Also, we include a brief description of a complementary approach: culture of primary MΦ. Although culture MΦ are extremely useful for analysing the basic biology of MΦ and their receptors, it should not be forgotten that the term MΦ encompasses a wide range of different types of cells with phenotypic characteristics dependent on their activation state and tissue of origin. In our view, there is no perfect MΦ marker and analysis of the expression profile of several markers, and functional studies are required to make an informed guess of the cellular characteristics and function of the MΦ population of interest.