01079nas a2200217   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002500055653001400080653001100094653001200105653001600117653002500133653001700158100001500175245006100190300001100251490000700262520057800269022001400847       2004                            d  c2004 Sep10aAntigen Presentation10aCytokines10aHumans10aleprosy10aMacrophages10aMycobacterium leprae10aPhagocytosis1 aFukutomi Y00a[Functional changes of macrophages in Hansen's disease].  a253-610 v733 a<p>As an obligate intracellular pathogen, the principal host cells for Mycobacterium leprae are mononuclear phagocytes or macrophages. The macrophage is a primitive cell type being found in both early and advanced life forms, and possesses a variety of functions, such as phagocytosis of invaded bacteria, production of cytokines, antigen presentation and tumor killing. Hansen's disease is a chronic infectious disease characterized by specific host immune responses against M. leprae. In this article the macrophage is focused to dissect its functions in the disease.</p>  a1342-3681