The scope of the scientific interest of the Department of Pathology and Experimental Rheumatology includes:
1. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of lymphocyte involvement in autoimmune disorders (especially in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus)
2. Effect of the metabolic status on the function of the immune system cells in health and in pathologies, such as rheumatoid and lymphoproliferative disorders
3. The impact of Helicobacter pylori infection on the structure and function of the human gastric mucosa
4. Pathomechanisms of IgG dependent food allergies
The research is carried out using the resources of the Cellular Function and Pathology Imaging Network of the Medical University of Gdansk and the University of Gdansk and the Experimental Rheumatology and Immunopathology Lab.
EXPERIMENTAL RHEUMATHOLOGY AND IMMUNOPATHOLOGY LAB
Surface staining of the cellular markers and intracellular staining of the specific antigens – cell lines, ex vivo human cells and cell cultures.
Functional tests
Lymphocytes isolated from the peripheral blood:
- proliferation potential (non-radioactive method, DCT) with phenotyping
- apoptosis susceptibility – mitochondrial potential and caspase activity measured intracellularly in the living cells with the phenotyping option
- T lymphocyte cytotoxicity assays
Monocytes, granulocytes, macrophages – phagocytosis and oxidative burst assays
Body fluids assays
Quantitative flow cytometry of the cytokines and biologically active proteins. CBA method allows the evaluation of up to 6 parameters simultaneously from as little as 50uL of the material allowing analysis from smaller samples compared to ELISA with comparable accuracy and FLEX – up to 36 cytokines can be assayed from 100 uL of the biological material.
EQUIPMENT
Flow cytometers: FACScan™, FACSArray™, and from 09.2012 also: FACSAria™ i FACSVerse™ (Becton Dickinson) owing to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education grant for the Cellular Function and Pathology Imaging Network of the Medical University of Gdansk and the University of Gdansk