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TL;DR
The central conclusion is that tissue-specific macrophage subsets have distinct developmental trajectories and roles that are crucial for organ physiology.
Nature Reviews. Immunology · 4 authors, 6 centres
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The central conclusion is that tissue-specific macrophage subsets have distinct developmental trajectories and roles that are crucial for organ physiology.
This narrative review synthesizes current knowledge on tissue-specific macrophage biology in mammals. It describes that macrophages form distinct subpopulations across organs with different developmental origins, transcriptional programs, and life cycles. The review highlights evidence from preclinical models that these macrophages orchestrate fundamental physiological processes like blood vessel formation, metabolism, and neuronal function during development, homeostasis, and aging. It interrelates macrophage ontogeny with core functions in specific tissues, such as the brain, liver, lung, gut, and skin, noting that their identity is controlled by niche signals.