Macrophages of the innate immune system can adopt a variety of behavior packages in response to circumstances. The most commonly studied are M1 (aggressive and inflammatory) versus M2 (anti-inflammatory and regenerative), as these capture two of the most interesting aspects of these immune cells. Macrophages hunt and destroy pathogens and rogue cells in their M1 form, but also participate in tissue maintenance and repair in their M2 form. A sizable number of research and development programs are based on ways to persuade M1 macrophages in injured tissues to switch into the M2 phenotype, resultin…
Adjusting Macrophages to an Anti-Inflammatory Phenotype Improves Pathology Following a Heart Attack
Macrophages of the innate immune system can adopt a variety of behavior packages in response to circumstances. The most commonly studied are M1 (aggressive and inflammatory) versus M2 (anti-inflammatory and regenerative), as these capture two of the most interesting aspects of these immune cells. Macrophages hunt and destroy pathogens and rogue cells in their M1 form, but also participate in tissue maintenance and repair in their M2 form. A sizable number of research and development programs are based on ways to persuade M1 macrophages in injured tissues to switch into the M2 phenotype, resultin…