PBMC stimulation and immune activation
PBMCs consist of a heterogeneous population of immune cells, including lymphocytes (T cells, B cells) and monocytes, enabling simultaneous analysis of multiple immune pathways.
Upon stimulation with defined triggers such as antigens, mitogens, or activating antibodies (e.g., CD3 or CD3/CD28), these cells undergo coordinated activation processes.
This activation is characterized by:
By integrating cytokine profiling with cellular readouts, PBMC assays provide a physiologically relevant model of human immune responses.
How PBMC stimulation assays work
In a typical stimulation assay, PBMCs are cultured in vitro and exposed to defined stimuli such as antigens, mitogens, or activating antibodies to induce immune activation. In its simplest form, immune system activation can be assessed by measuring the secretion of cytokines such as TNF-alpha, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and IL-2.
To further dissect the response, the assay differentiates between innate and adaptive immune activation:
Together, these readouts provide an integrated and cell-type–resolved assessment of immune function.
How to choose a PBMC stimulation assay?
Selecting the right stimulation assay depends on your specific research question and required level of resolution.
Essential factors include:
Key PBMC stimulation assay considerations
Several factors influence the robustness and interpretability of PBMC assays:
Our PBMC-based assay services
Our assay service delivers high-quality, reproducible data for immunogenicity assessment, drug development, and immune monitoring.
By integrating T cell activation assay, monocyte activation assay, and cytokine profiling, we provide a comprehensive platform to evaluate immune responses in a physiologically human-relevant in vitro system.
Direct access to high-quality human PBMCs
As a sister company of BIOMEX, we provide access to a diverse biobank of cryopreserved PBMCs, enabling robust and reproducible assay performance.This allows us to:
Scientifically robust assay design
Our PBMC assay platform combines multiple orthogonal readouts to ensure reliable and biologically meaningful results. By integrating
we generate data that closely reflect in vivo immune responses.
What we support you with
We collaborate closely with you to design and execute bioassays tailored to your research needs:
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