Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 48
Immunological Response to Experimental Intracerebral
Hemorrhage: Morphological Assessments
Elena Titova and Andre Obenaus
Abstract
The immune system is intimately involved in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) pathophysiology. The
ability to evaluate immune system reactions with reproducible and accurate methods is of critical impor-
tance. Numerous techniques have been developed to study and evaluate the immune system response to
ICH. While some are well established and extensively used, other new assessment techniques continue to
develop as a result of technology progress. We present a short comparative summary of existing techniques
useful for ICH immunological assessment and introduce detailed protocols of two immunolabeling tech-
niques: immunofl uorescence and quantitative infrared fl uorescence detection. Quantitative analysis of
protein signal intensities and their anatomical distributions are two essential factors in understanding the
immune system response to ICH brain injury.
Key words:
Immune system, Immunohistochemistry, Infrared fl uorescence, Intracerebral
hemorrhage, Stroke
1. Introduction
A fundamental component of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)
pathophysiology is the immune response to ICH-related brain
injury which is not limited to brain tissues but involves an entire
immune system including lymphoid tissue and blood systems. ICH
perturbs both innate (humoral and cellular) and adaptive (mainly
cellular, via T lymphocytes activation) mechanisms of immunity
(Fig.
1
) (
1-3
).
The innate immune response to ICH injury is non-specifi c
and immediate. It represents mechanisms of (a) infl ammation, i.e.
release of cytokines, chemokines, and leukotrienes which locally
activate microglia and attract migration of neutrophils through a
disrupted blood-brain barrier, and (b) a complement cascade in
which lysis or opsonization and killing of pathogens activates
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