Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) have been widely researched in the fields of immunology, infectious disease, oncology, transplantation, hematological malignancy, and vaccine development. Specifically, in immunology research, PBMCs have been utilized to monitor concentration, viability, proliferation, and cytokine production from immune cells, which are critical for both clinical trials and biomedical research. […]

Natural Killer (NK) Cells are large granular lymphocytes that belong to the innate immune system and make up approximately 10% of circulating lymphocytes. Unlike T cells, NK cells do not express CD3. NK cells are critical for protection from life-threatening infections and are important mediators of antitumor immunity. Rare reports of complete NK-cell deficiencies in humans have resulted in fatal infection during childhood. Uncontrolled or inappropriate NK cell response can lead to pathological conditions such as allograft rejection, graft vs. host disease, diabetes, aplastic anemia, and various autoimmune and neurological diseases. […]

 Adipocytes are the primary cells found in adipose (fat) tissue. Adipocytes store energy for the body in the form of triacylglycerol and play a critical role in lipid metabolism and energy regulation. Adipocytes have also been found to express a wide range of cytokines, chemokines, receptors, and cell adhesion molecules capable of inducing inflammation. Though it was once believed that mature adipocytes do not proliferate, a small degree of proliferation has been observed in mature adipocytes in culture. It is likely that overall adipocyte cell number is maintained over time by highly-controlled apoptosis and proliferation. […]

Stem Cells are undifferentiated cells within a tissue or organ that can develop into specialized cell types. Embryonic Stem Cells are derived from human embryos developed from eggs fertilized in vitro and donated for research. Though stem cell research has shifted away from embryonic stem cells for ethical and legal reasons, there are currently 21 approved stem cell lines that are monitored by the NIH Stem Cell Unit. Undifferentiated cells derived from cultured embryonic stem cells, or pluripotent cell lines, can be used to test new drugs and could potentially be used in cell-based therapy for a wide range of [...]

Jurkat is an acute T cell leukemia cell line originally derived from the peripheral blood of a 14-year-old boy. The original Jurkat clone was designated JM*. The E6-1 clone, derived from JM, is now the Jurkat cell line used most frequently by researchers, but many other clones or derivatives are available. Jurkat cells are widely used for IL-2 production and in the study of acute T cell leukemia, T cell signaling, and the effectiveness of potential anti-cancer compounds. Jurkat cells were used to establish the Nexcelom Apoptosis (Annexin V-FITC / PI) and PI Cell Cycle protocols for the Vision CBA [...]

Hepatocytes are the predominant cell in the liver, comprising about 60% of liver cells and 80% of liver mass. One of the main hepatocyte functions is the production of bile. Hepatocytes are also responsible for the regulation of metabolism, detoxification, and the manufacture of important circulating proteins, making them a critical component of studies involving liver disease, drug metabolism, and toxicology. […]