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Macrophages (/ ˈ m æ k r oʊ f eɪ dʒ /; abbreviated Mφ, MΦ or MP) are a type of white blood cell of the innate immune system that engulf and digest pathogens, such as cancer cells, microbes, cellular debris, and foreign substances, which do not have proteins that are specific to healthy body cells on their surface. [1] [2] This process is ...
Dermal macrophages are arrested at the pro-inflammatory phenotype, which increases the difficulty in the healing process due to their production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. [4] Ulcers on foot are common in a patient with severe diabetes due to the prolonged impairment of wound healing.
The mononuclear phagocyte system and the monocyte macrophage system refer to two different entities, often mistakenly understood as one. [ citation needed ] " Reticuloendothelial system " is an older term for the mononuclear phagocyte system, but it is used less commonly now, as it is understood that most endothelial cells are not macrophages .
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), formerly known as TNF-α, is a chemical messenger produced by the immune system that induces inflammation. [5] TNF is produced primarily by activated macrophages, and induces inflammation by binding to its receptors on other cells. [6]
Foamy macrophages are also found in diseases caused by pathogens that persist in the body, such as Chlamydia, Toxoplasma, or Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In tuberculosis (TB), bacterial lipids disable macrophages from pumping out excess LDL, causing them to turn into foam cells around the TB granulomas in the lung. The cholesterol forms a rich ...
Macrophages are versatile cells that reside within tissues and produce an array of chemicals including enzymes, complement proteins, and cytokines. They can also act as scavengers that rid the body of worn-out cells and other debris and as antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that activate the adaptive immune system. [36]
The study of the molecular and cellular components that form the immune system, including their function and interaction, is the central science of immunology. The immune system is divided into a more primitive innate immune system and an acquired or adaptive immune system of vertebrates , each of which contain both humoral and cellular immune ...
Macrophages are found throughout the body in almost all tissues and organs (e.g., microglial cells in the brain and alveolar macrophages in the lungs), where they silently lie in wait. A macrophage's location can determine its size and appearance. Macrophages cause inflammation through the production of interleukin-1, interleukin-6, and TNF ...