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Review
. 2014 Nov;262(1):25-35.
doi: 10.1111/imr.12215.

Origin, development, and homeostasis of tissue-resident macrophages

Malay Haldar  1 , Kenneth M Murphy
Affiliations
Review

Origin, development, and homeostasis of tissue-resident macrophages

Malay Haldar et al. Immunol Rev. 2014 Nov.

Abstract

Macrophages are versatile cells of the hematopoietic system that display remarkable functional diversity encompassing innate immune responses, tissue development, and tissue homeostasis. Macrophages are present in almost all tissues of the body and display distinct location-specific phenotypes and gene expression profiles. Recent studies also demonstrate distinct origins of tissue-resident macrophages. This emerging picture of ontological, functional, and phenotypic heterogeneity within tissue macrophages has altered our understanding of these cells, which play important roles in many human diseases. In this review, we discuss the different origins of tissue macrophages, the transcription factors regulating their development, and the mechanisms underlying their homeostasis at steady state.

Keywords: cell differentiation; immune system ontogeny; lineage commitment; monocytes/macrophages.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Embryonic and postnatal origins of tissue-resident macrophages
Macrophages are color coded to indicate origin. Arrows connecting macrophages indicate persistence into postnatal phase.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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