video: Microscopy showing a macrophage engulfing a melanoma cell
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Scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have captured, for the first time, ‘housekeeping’ immune cells actively attacking and engulfing live melanoma cells – a discovery that could change the way we approach treatment for one of Australia’s most common and deadly cancers.
The findings, published today in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, reveal a previously overlooked population of immune cells called macrophages that patrol the edges of melanoma tumours, steadily engulfing cancer cells and slowing tumour growth.
“This is the first time anyone has captured a macrophage attacking and engulfing a live cancer cell in real time,” says Dr Yuki Keith, first author of the research. “We always suspected macrophages were doing more than we gave them credit for – now we have the video footage to prove it. Studying this in a living system is crucial because it is more representative of what happens in real life, showing the complexity of the immune system and paving the way for the treatments of the future.”
