Chitin is a key component of insects, fungi, and house-dust mites. Chitin has been shown to induce M2-type immune responses in vivo. Intranasal or intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of chitin particles results in infiltration of eosinophils to the local sites and activation of macrophages with a M2 phenotype. Chitin-challenged mice model can be used to induce M2 macrophages polarization and thus to analyze the M2 phenotype from isolated peritoneal cells.
Jiménez-García, L., Herránz, S., Luque, A. and Hortelano, S. (2015). Chitin-challenged Mice Model to Study M2 Macrophages Polarization. Bio-protocol 5(17): e1584. DOI: 10.21769/BioProtoc.1584.