Macrophages, a cell in the immune system, are normally known for phagocytosing, or eating, cancer cells. In this image, however, the green cancer cell is undergoing “blebbing” after touching the macrophage (not colored), which is a different and very effective type of killing that we may be able to leverage to treat cancers.

Our previous data suggested that when macrophages were treated with a certain signaling molecule, IFNw, they act in a way we have not previously observed. Treated macrophages killed cancer cells in a very effective, yet unknown mechanism. By taking images, we hoped to see more effectively what was happening when the cells interacted and how the macrophage is killing the cancer cells.