Flow cytometry
Our flow cytometry platform is focused on the application of cytometry methods to the characterization of immune cells. Our attempts are to stain the cells on the cell surface and intracellularly to depict the ones which are of interest for us. We have been able to establish antibody panels for human immune cells characterization using more than 20 fluorescence dyes simultaneously by means of our 3 laser CYTEK Aurora full spectrum flow cytometer. The advantage of this multicolour staining is that only very low sample volumes are needed. We are capable of sorting the cells of interest on our BioRad S3e Cell Sorter using up to 4 fluorescence channels. We are constantly improving our staining assays to depict the activation status of immune cells (including cytokine expression, transcription factors, mRNA expression and phospho-flow). We have established new methods to evaluate the influence of environmental chemicals and microorganisms like microbiota and viruses on the activation of certain types of immune cells including T helper cells such as regulatory T cells and cytotoxic T cells e.g. mucosal-associated invariant T cells. For data analysis and presentation, we use the professional software FlowJo and FlowLogic.
Since September 2021, the department also has a new CyTOF (SAB aid, Project no. 100588139) and Hyperion device from FLUIDIGM (Cytometry Time of Flight CyTOF/Hyperion Imaging System from Fluidigm). With the help of this novel and innovative imaging mass cytometry, we would like to examine immune cell profiles from cohort samples (e.g. mother-child cohorts), tissue samples (e.g. placenta) and organoids after exposure to environmental chemicals in a thorough and comprehensive manner. With this unique system, the smallest amounts of blood and tissue-specific cells can be characterized on the basis of many parameters (including signal transduction cascades). Also functional properties can be derived.
Photo: Beate Fink/UFZ
This measure is co-financed with tax revenues on the basis of the budget decided by the Saxon state parliament.
We have more than 15 years of experience using flow cytometry for different applications. Our platform is open for collaboration - we can find the staining solution to most immune cells. We like new challenges and we constantly develop our skills portfolio.
Department News
We’re on Twitter!
@UFZ_Immu
The first joint workshop with our Argentinian cooperation partners took place on 11 and 12 July. The participants were able to discuss the progress of the DFG project "Influence of endocrine disruptors on reproductive processes mediated by immune cells of the innate immune system ", methods and to-dos. There was also space to plan further joint collaborations. We thank all participants for the exciting and productive exchange!
Back: Tobias Kretschmer, Anne Schumacher, Horacio Rodriguez, Ana Zenclussen, Nicole Meyer, Maria Zenclussen, Florence Fischer
Congratulations to our colleague Dr. Violeta Stojanovska for being the 1st prize European Organoid Research Grant winner!
@biotechne
Researchers from the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Friedrich Schiller University Jena and UFZ have discovered new biomarkers for the detection and quantification of cancers and starting points for new cancer immunotherapies.
A team with the participation of UFZ alumni Saskia Trump from our department has now founded cAHRmeleon Bioscience GmbH and is developing biomarker and companion diagnostic services for precision medicine in cancer immunotherapy for the biopharmaceutical market.
To what extent do older siblings influence the healthy development of children? Answers from our LiNA study can be found in our latest press release .
Photo: PD Dr. Stefan Fest
Prof. Ana Zenclussen and Dr. Violeta Stojanovska , together with PD Dr. Stefan Fest , took part in the annual conference of the American Society for Reproductive Immunology in Nashville . In addition to presenting their own results on the topic of "Characterization of 3D trophoblast spheroids as a model of placenta functionality", our scientists also had the opportunity to finally exchange ideas in person with colleagues from all over the world.
Dr. Clarisa Santamaria gave an oral presentation at this years IFFS World Congress, topic: Uncovering the participation of Regulatory T cells and Dendritic cells in embryo implantation using human heterologous in vitro implantation models. She was awarded during the Junior researchers panel - Prize Giving session. Congratulations!
We congratulate Prof. Ana Zenclussen on her appointment as a member of the BfR Commission on Contaminants in the Food Chain for the session period 2022 to 2025 and wish her every success!
Latest publications
Index: 2022 (23)
You could use our publication index for further requests.
Amici, F., Röder, S. , Kiess, W., Borte, M., Zenclussen, A.C. , Widdig, A., Herberth, G. , (2022):Maternal stress, child behavior and the promotive role of older siblings BMC Public Health 22 , art. 863full text (doi) Busse, M., Langwisch, S., Tedford, K., Fischer, K.-D., Zenclussen, A.C. , (2022):Maternal B cell signaling orchestrates fetal development in mice Development 149 (8), dev.199783full text (doi) Busse, M., Scharm, M., Oettel, A., Redlich, A., Costa, S.-D., Zenclussen, A.C. , (2022):Enhanced S100B expression in T and B lymphocytes in spontaneous preterm birth and preeclampsia J. Perinat. Med. 50 (2), 157 - 166full text (doi) Fraser, R., Zenclussen, A.C. , (2022):Killer timing: The temporal uterine natural killer cell differentiation pathway and implications for female reproductive health Front. Endocrinol. 13 , art. 904744full text (doi) Greimel, E., Adams, L., Zsigo, C., Berdel, D., von Berg, A., Koletzko, S., Bauer, C.-P., Schikowski, T., Herberth, G. , Heinrich, J., Schulte-Körne, G., Standl, M., (2022):Psychopathological symptoms as precursors of depressive symptoms in adolescence: a prospective analysis of the GINIplus and LISA birth cohort studies Soc. Psychiatry Psychiatr. Epidemiol. 57 (8), 1627 - 1639full text (doi) Junge, K.M. , Buchenauer, L. , Strunz, S. , Seiwert, B., Thürmann, L., Rolle-Kampczyk, U.E., Röder, S. , Borte, M., Kiess, W., von Bergen, M., Simon, J.C., Zenclussen, A.C. , Schöneberg, T., Stangl, G.I., Herberth, G. , Lehmann, I., Reemtsma, T., Polte, T. , (2022):Effects of exposure to single and multiple parabens on asthma development in an experimental mouse model and a prospective cohort study Sci. Total Environ. 814 , art. 152676full text (doi) Juskiene, I., Prokopciuk, N., Franck, U. , Valiulis, A., Valskys, V., Mesceriakova, V., Kvedariene, V., Valiulyte, I., Poluzioroviene, E., Sauliene, I., Valiulis, A., (2022):Indoor air pollution effects on pediatric asthma are submicron aerosol particle–dependent Eur. J. Pediatr. 181 (6), 2469 - 2480full text (doi) Kocatürk, E., Podder, I., Zenclussen, A.C. , Kasperska Zajac, A., Elieh-Ali-Komi, D., Church, M.K., Maurer, M., (2022):Urticaria in pregnancy and lactation Front. Allergy 3 , art. 892673full text (doi) Krause, J.L. , Engelmann, B., Nunes da Rocha, U., Pierzchalski, A. , Chang, H.D., Zenclussen, A.C. , von Bergen, M., Rolle-Kampczyk, U., Herberth, G. , (2022):MAIT cell activation is reduced by direct and microbiota-mediated exposure to bisphenols Environ. Int. 158 , art. 106985full text (doi) Kretschmer, T. , Turnwald, E.-M., Janoschek, R., Wohlfarth, M., Handwerk, M., Dötsch, J., Hucklenbruch-Rother, E., Appel, S., (2022):Treatment of high fat diet‐induced obese pregnant mice with IL‐6 receptor antibody does not ameliorate placental function and fetal growth restriction Am. J. Reprod. Immunol. 88 (1), e13564full text (doi) Lokossou, G.A.G., Kouakanou, L., Schumacher, A. , Zenclussen, A.C. , (2022):Human breast milk: From food to active immune response with disease protection in infants and mothers Front. Immunol. 13 , art. 849012full text (doi) Marb, A., Libuda, L., Standl, M., Koletzko, S., Bauer, C.-P., Schikowski, T., Berdel, D., von Berg, A., Herberth, G. , Bühlmeier, J., Harris, C.P., (2022):Obesogenic eating behaviour and dietary intake in German children and adolescents: results from the GINIplus and LISA birth cohort studies Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. full text (doi) Markevych, I., Astell-Burt, T., Altug, H., Triebner, K., Standl, M., Flexeder, C., Heinrich, J., Schikowski, T., Koletzko, S., Herberth, G. , Bauer, C.-P., von Berg, A., Berdel, D., Feng, X., (2022):Residential green space and age at menarche in German and Australian adolescent girls: A longitudinal study Int. J. Hyg. Environ. Health. 240 , 113917full text (doi) Meijer, M., Klein, M., Caramaschi, D., Mulder, R., Cosin, M., Lu, X., Zhang, Y., Röder, S. , Zilich, L., Huels, A., Hartman, C., Snieder, H., Bustamante, M., Herberth, G. , Franke, B., Copeland, B., Aberg, K., van den Oord, E., (2022):Meta-analysis of cell type-sSpecific DNA methylation of childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms Biol. Psychiatry 91 (9 (Suppl.)), S111 - S112full text (doi) Röder, S. , Herberth, G. , Zenclussen, A.C. , Bauer, M. , (2022):EpiVisR: exploratory data analysis and visualization in epigenome-wide association analyses BMC Bioinformatics 23 , art. 292full text (doi) Sammallahti, S., Koopman‑Verhoeff, M.E., Binter, A.-C., Mulder, R.H., Cabré‑Riera, A., Kvist, T., Malmberg, A.L.K., Pesce, G., Plancoulaine, S., Heiss, J.A., Rifas‑Shiman, S.L., Röder, S.W. , Starling, A.P., Wilson, R., Guerlich, K., Haftorn, K.L., Page, C.M., Luik, A.I., Tiemeier, H., Felix, J.F., Raikkonen, K., Lahti, J., Relton, C.L., Sharp, G.C., Waldenberger, M., Grote, V., Heude, B., Annesi‑Maesano, I., Hivert, M.-F., Zenclussen, A.C. , Herberth, G. , Dabelea, D., Grazuleviciene, R., Vafeiadi, M., Håberg, S.E., London, S.J., Guxens, M., Richmond, R.C., Cecil, C.A.M., (2022):Longitudinal associations of DNA methylation and sleep in children: a meta‑analysis Clin. Epigenetics 14 , art. 83full text (doi) Schicketanz, J., Röder, S. , Herberth, G. , Kabisch, S., Lakes, T., (2022):On foot or by car: what determines children’s active school travel? Child. Geogr. 20 (2), 174 - 188full text (doi) Schmitz, K., Turnwald, E.-M., Kretschmer, T. , Janoschek, R., Bae-Gartz, I., Voßbrecher, K., Kammerer, M.D., Köninger, A., Gellhaus, A., Handwerk, M., Wohlfarth, M., Gründemann, D., Hucklenbruch-Rother, E., Dötsch, J., Appel, S., (2022):Metformin prevents key mechanisms of obesity-related complications in visceral white adipose tissue of obese pregnant mice Nutrients 14 (11), art. 2288full text (doi) Scholz, S., Brack, W., Escher, B.I., Hackermüller, J., Liess, M., von Bergen, M., Wick, L.Y., Zenclussen, A.C. , Altenburger, R., (2022):The EU chemicals strategy for sustainability: an opportunity to develop new approaches for hazard and risk assessment Arch. Toxicol. 96 (8), 2381 - 2386full text (doi) Schütte, O. , Bachmann, L. , Shivappa, N., Hebert, J.R., Felix, J.F., Röder, S.W. , Sack, U., Borte, M., Kiess, W., Zenclussen, A.C. , Stangl, G.I., Herberth, G. , Junge, K.M. , (2022):Pro-inflammatory diet pictured in children with atopic dermatitis or food allergy: nutritional data of the LiNA cohort Front. Nutr. 9 , art. 868872full text (doi) Stojanovska, V. , Voss, H., Fest, S. , Zenclussen, A.C. , (2022):P45: Characterization of 3D trophoblast spheroids as a model of placenta functionality Am. J. Reprod. Immunol. 87 (S1), 98 - 99full text (doi) Wang, J., Tischer, C., Standl, M., Weidinger, S., von Berg, A., Herberth, G. , Yew, Y.W., Heinrich, J., Schmitt, J., Apfelbacher, C., (2022):Lifetime prevalence and determinants of hand eczema in an adolescent population in Germany: 15-year follow-up of the LISA cohort study J. Eur. Acad. Dermatol. Venereol. 36 (4), 547 - 556full text (doi) Zhang, N. , Schumacher, A. , Fink, B. , Bauer, M. , Zenclussen, A.C. , Meyer, N. , (2022):Insights into early-pregnancy mechanisms: Mast cells and chymase CMA1 shape the phenotype and modulate the functionality of human trophoblast cells, vascular smooth-muscle cells and endothelial cells Cells 11 (7), art. 1158full text (doi) to index
Projects
We participate in the joint research project SaxoChiLD.
@SaxoChiLD
We participate in the joint research project
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