Measuring the Metabolic State of Tissue-Resident Macrophages via SCENITH.

Functional reprograming of cells is linked to a process of metabolic rewiring that is adapted for such new functions or microenvironment. Macrophages are present in all tissues and exposed to different microenvironments throughout our body. Profiling energetic metabolism of tissue resident and other heterogeneous populations of macrophages in vitro and ex vivo is technologically very challenging. We have recently developed a method to functionally profile energetic metabolism with single-cell resolution, named SCENITH. This method can be performed rapidly ex vivo and does not require specialized equipment. In this book chapter, we will summarize the tissue processing, the procedure and methods, the analysis and example of results, and a series of frequently asked questions.