The many faces of macrophage activation

Abstract

Macrophage heterogeneity used to be a research topic on which the careers of many postdoctoral fellows were misspent. The lack of definitive markers and dubious biochemical assays prevented the unequivocal identification of specific cell subsets. There has now been significant progress in establishing the heterogeneity of activated macrophages. There are at least three distinct populations of macrophages, and each cell type appears to have different biological roles. The interplay among these populations of cells may help to shape not only the magnitude but also the character of the immune response. The manipulation of these cells may lead to new approaches to treat or prevent disease.