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2018 Projects

Comparison of bone marrow-derived macrophages grown in M-CSF vs. GM-CSF

Mentor: 
Andrij Holian, PhD
Graduate Student: 
Jessica Ray, University of Montana
SURP Student: 
Meg Lyons, Troy University

Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are the primary immune cell type responsible for phagocytizing inhaled particles and initiating the inflammatory response. Crystalline silica and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) are two particles shown to have deleterious effects on lung macrophages. Silica is an environmental and occupational hazard, inhalation being associated with systemic inflammation, lung fibrosis, and autoimmune disease. MWCNT are an emerging concern and present unique challenges in toxicity evaluation due to numerous variables contributing to bioactivity.