Macrophages are an important cell in the immune system, and they play a variety of roles in tissues, including pathogen clearance, tissue repair, and immunomodulation. Abnormal activation or dysfunction of macrophages in certain pathological conditions, such as chronic inflammation, autoimmune diseases, or tumor development, may adversely affect the organism.Clodronate Liposomes are a class of drugs or compounds that specifically deplete or remove macrophages. Clodronate liposomes are the most mature, convenient, and cost-effective macrophage removal tool available today, and can effectively remove macrophages from a variety of tissues and sites in animals, including the liver, spleen, lungs, and blood, and are the most widely used method of macrophage removal today.

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FAQ

Q1: What should I do after receiving Clodronate liposomes?

A: After receiving Clodronate liposomes, if you can't use it immediately, you need to place it in 4℃ refrigerator. Freezing is prohibited! Use as stock solution, no dilution is allowed. Liposomes are susceptible to precipitation, so it is recommended to mix them gently before use. In addition, 4℃ chlorophosphate liposomes cannot be used immediately, and need to be returned to room temperature before injection.

Q2: How do I transfer liposomes from the vial?

A: The best way to transfer liposomes from the vial is to use a sterile needle syringe. This way the remaining liposome suspension in the vial will remain sealed and clean. You can also use a pipette with a sterile tip for transfer, but it is best to do this in a clean environment, such as in a BSC hood.

Q3: Can Clodronate liposomes be used for in vitro macrophage clearance?

A: The product can be used for in vitro macrophage clearance, but this method is more suitable for in vivo experiments. The main reason is that during in vitro culture, chlorophosphate released from dead cells or “leaking” from liposomes remains in the culture medium, but in vivo, chlorophosphate has a very short half-life and is quickly cleared by the kidneys. Although free chlorophosphoric acid does not enter cells or liposomes, once it accumulates in the culture medium it slowly enters the cells.

Q4: What is the reason that animals die soon after intravenous injection of Clodronate liposomes?

A: On the one hand it is possible that the animal was injected with an inhomogeneous liposome suspension. It is recommended to shake gently to mix before use. Liposomes will settle after a period of time in vitro. If more than one animal has to be injected at a time over a long period of time, the liposomes will settle in the syringe and form an inhomogeneous suspension, so that the measurement of the first injection will change significantly from the measurement of the last injection. On the other hand it is possible that the liposomes have just been removed from the refrigerator and have not returned to room temperature.

Q5: How many days after injection of Clodronate liposomes did the animal die?

A: This may be due to bacterial contamination. The removal of macrophages from the body increases the chance of infection by, for example, viral particles, bacteria or yeast.

Q6: Clodronate liposomes do not have the desired effect?

A: Clodronate liposomes are produced in large batches, and each batch is tested for the concentration of clodronate as well as a number of possible contaminants to ensure that it is correct before it is sold to customers. In addition, liposomes are susceptible to temperature extremes. The correct way to transport and store them is 4~8°C. Suspensions should neither be frozen nor heated above 30°C. It needs to be used up within 3 months from the time of receipt of the shipment, otherwise the effect of use may be affected.

Q7: When injecting intravenously, can the volume injected be increased?

A: Intravenous injection should be based on the body weight of the animal, and should not exceed 0.1 mL/10 mg, but for intraperitoneal injection, the volume of injection can be increased appropriately. Subcutaneous injection needs to be decided according to the volume of the injection site.

Q8: What should we pay attention to when using liposomes?

A: Liposomes prepared from lipids with saturated hydrocarbon chains are actually very strong, but the following precautions should be noted.

①Do not mix with organic solvents, such as chloroform, methanol, ethanol, DMSO, ether, etc.

② Do not add surfactants unless you have to do so to cleave the liposomes.

③ Do not heat, near or above the main phase transition temperature of the lipids, unless performing drug loading, which requires incubation above the phase transition temperature.

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