title: Macrophages and the Recovery from Acute and Chronic Inflammation.
abstract: In recent years, researchers have devoted much attention to the diverse roles of macrophages and their contributions to tissue development, wound healing, and angiogenesis. What should not be lost in the discussions regarding the diverse biology of these cells is that when perturbed, macrophages are the primary contributors to potentially pathological inflammatory processes. Macrophages stand poised to rapidly produce large amounts of inflammatory cytokines in response to danger signals. The production of these cytokines can initiate a cascade of inflammatory mediator release that can lead to wholesale tissue destruction. The destructive inflammatory capability of macrophages is amplified by exposure to exogenous interferon-γ, which prolongs and heightens inflammatory responses. In simple terms, macrophages can thus be viewed as incendiary devices with hair triggers waiting to detonate. We have begun to ask questions about how these cells can be regulated to mitigate the collateral destruction associated with macrophage activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742; email: dmosser@umd.edu.
authors.forename: Kajal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamidzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742; email: dmosser@umd.edu.
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742; email: dmosser@umd.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dalby
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742; email: dmosser@umd.edu.
authors.forename: Prabha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chandrasekaran
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742; email: dmosser@umd.edu.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Mosser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007371:Interferon-gamma
keywords: NF-κB; TLR; adenosine; cytokines; prostaglandin; transcription