Human Airway Inflammation: Sampling Techniques and Analytical Protocols (Methods in Molecular Medicine)

This book offers a wide range of readily reproducible methods for sampling, isolating, and culturing all of the major inflammatory cells involved in the pathophysiology of asthma and COPD. The collection of techniques detailed here involve biopsy and sampling of airway liquids such as sputum and exhaled gases such as nitric oxide. Also provided is a full range of methods for the isolation and characterization of cells and for the measurement of the major inflammatory markers, along with protocols for measuring many of the inflammatory mediators and enzymes released during lung inflammation. Among the more advanced techniques are the measurement of exhaled hydrocarbons and F2 isoprostanes, granulocyte pharmacodynamics in whole blood measured by flow cytometry, and tracing mediator trafficking in eosinophils using confocal microscopy. Comprehensive and highly practical, the methods presented in Human Airway Inflammation: Sampling Techniques and Analytical Protocols provide today's basic and clinical researchers all the major techniques for investigating airway inflammation, and powerfully illuminate many novel targets for emerging drugs.