title: Macrophage polarization in health and disease.
abstract: Macrophages are terminally differentiated cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system that also encompasses dendritic cells, circulating blood monocytes, and committed myeloid progenitor cells in the bone marrow. Both macrophages and their monocytic precursors can change their functional state in response to microenvironmental cues exhibiting a marked heterogeneity. However, there are still uncertainties regarding distinct expression patterns of surface markers that clearly define macrophage subsets, particularly in the case of human macrophages. In addition to their tissue distribution, macrophages can be functionally polarized into M1 (proinflammatory) and M2 (alternatively activated) as well as regulatory cells in response to both exogenous infections and solid tumors as well as by systems biology approaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Center for the Study of Reproductive Biology and Women's Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cassetta
authors.forename: Edana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cassol
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D016764:Cell Polarity; D060833:Cellular Microenvironment; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D049490:Systems Biology
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D016207:Cytokines