Exploitation of the nicotinic anti-inflammatory pathway for the treatment of epithelial inflammatory diseases

Figure 1 α-Bungarotoxin-binding nicotinic receptors are clustered on the surface of macrophages. Primary human macrophages were stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled α-bungarotoxin (1.5 μg /mL) and viewed by fluorescent confocal microscopy. A: Cells were stained with α-bungarotoxin alone; B: Nicotine was added to a final concentration of 500 μmol before addition of α-bungarotoxin. C, D: Higher magnification reveals receptor clusters. C: Focus planes are on the inside layers close to the middle (three lower cells) or close to the surface (upper cell) of cells; D: Focus plane is on the surface of the cell. Magnifications: A, B, x 50; C, x 200; D, x 450.