Macrophage Biology in Cardiovascular Diseases
Mitri K. Khoury, Huan Yang, Bo Liu
Abstract
Macrophages have a key functional role in the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis and aortic aneurysms. Their accumulation within the vessel wall leads to sustained local inflammatory responses characterized by secretion of chemokines, cytokines, and matrix protein degrading enzymes. Here, we summarize some recent findings on macrophage contribution to cardiovascular disease. We focus on the origin, survival/death, and phenotypic switching of macrophages within vessel walls.
Topics & Concepts
MacrophagePathogenesisBiologyPhenotypeInflammationImmunologySecretionDiseaseFocus (optics)Cell biologyArterial wallBlood vesselFoam cellVascular diseaseArteriosclerosisExtracellular matrixPathophysiologyMedicineGene isoformInflammatory responseMatrix (chemical analysis)PathologyEndotheliumVascular wallMatrix metalloproteinaseImmune cells in cancerAtherosclerosis and Cardiovascular DiseasesCardiac Fibrosis and Remodeling