The Human Leukemia Cell Line, THP-1: a Multifacetted Model for the Study of Monocyte-macrophage Differentiation

Overview

Journal Experientia

Specialty Science

Date 1991 Jan 15

PMID 1999239

Citations 253

Authors

J Auwerx

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

THP-1 is a human monocytic leukemia cell line. After treatment with phorbol esters, THP-1 cells differentiate into macrophage-like cells which mimic native monocyte-derived macrophages in several respects. Compared to other human myeloid cell lines, such as HL-60, U937, KG-1, or HEL cell lines, differentiated THP-1 cells behave more like native monocyte-derived macrophages. Because of these characteristics, the THP-1 cell line provides a valuable model for studying the mechanisms involved in macrophage differentiation, and for exploring the regulation of macrophage-specific genes as they relate to physiological functions displayed by these cells.

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