Gene expression profiling of avian macrophage activation.

Through the process of phagocytosis, the macrophage is responsible for the clearance and destruction of both intracellular and extracellular pathogens. When stimulated, macrophages undergo a process of activation involving an increase in size and motility, enhanced phagocytic, bactericidal, and tumoricidal activity, and up-regulation of several cell-surface markers. One well characterized method of mammalian macrophage activation involves the Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathway.