Description
Mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) grown in macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF-1) have been used widely in studies of macrophage biology and the response to toll-like receptor agonists. We investigated whether similar cells could be derived from the domestic pig. Cultivation of pig bone marrow cells for 5-7 days in presence of rhCSF-1 generated a pure population of BMDM that expressed the usual macrophage markers (CD14, CD16, CD163, CD172a), are potent phagocytic cells and produced tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Bone marrow cells could be stored frozen and thawed, providing a renewable resource.