TH1/TH2 cytokines: an easy model to study gene expression in immune cells.

This report describes a laboratory exercise that was incorporated into a Cell Biology and Molecular Biology advanced course. The exercise was made for a class size with eight students and was designed to reinforce the understanding of basic molecular biology techniques. Students used the techniques of reverse transcription and arginase activity measurement as well as nitric oxide determination to discover whether two specific genes were expressed by cytokine-stimulated dendritic cells. The experiment served as the basis for discussing the importance of differential gene expression inside the eukaryotic cell and the importance of cytokines in the immune system.