In Vitro & Ex Vivo Capabilities

Our in vitro and ex vivo capabilities are broad and provide a translational platform for the screening and testing of candidate compounds and target pathways.

Projects can be tailored to client needs, conducted using cells and tissues from healthy and/or diseased sheep, and may include cellular, biochemical and molecular analyses. Allergenix has the expertise as well as access to world-class facilities and services through their partnerships with Monash University and Federation University to enable these studies.

1. Isolated primary cells

• immune cells – blood/lymph node/BAL macrophages, lymphocytes, dendritic cells
• airway cells – epithelial cells, fibroblasts, airway smooth muscle
• monolayers, cell co-cultures

2. Tissue explants

• endobronchial biopsy samples
• tissue explants; tracheal, bronchial

3. Precision-cut lung slices (PCLS)

• airway contractility
• active/passive treatments

Measurements/biomarkers: cell and tissue-specific effects

• tissue structure, cell distribution/structure – histology; histochemistry; immunostaining (surface, intracellular, tissue elements); confocal microscopy; electron microscopy
• immune cell/mediator analyses; cellular, biochemical and molecular analyses
• cell phenotype, activation, function – flow cytometry
• proteins, cytokines, biomarker detection – ELISA; Western Blot
• gene expression analysis – real-time RT-PCR; microarray; single cell profiling (Fluidigm system)