Description
Macrophage are any of the many forms of mononuclear phagocytes found in tissues. Mononuclear phagocytes arise from hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow. After passing through the monoblast and promonocyte states of the monocyte stage, they enter the blood, circulating for about 40 hours. They then enter tissues and increase in size, phagocytic activity, and lysosomal enzyme content and become macrophages. The morphology of macrophages varies among different tissues and between normal and pathologic states, and not all macrophages can be identified by morphology alone. However, most macrophages are large cells with a round or indented nucleus, a well developed Golgi apparatus, abundant endocytotic vacuoles, lysosomes, and phagolysosomes, and a plasma membrane covered with ruffles or microvilli. Among the functions of macrophages are nonspecific phagocytosis and pinocytosis, specific phagocytosis of opsonized microorganisms mediated by Fc receptors and complement receptors, killing of ingested microorganisms, digestion and presentation of antigens to T and B lymphocytes, and secretion of a large number of diverse products, including many enzymes (lysozyme, collagenases, elastase, acid hydrolases), several complement components and coagulation factors, some prostaglandins and leukotrienes, and several regulatory molecules (interferon, interleukin 1). Among the cells now recognized as macrophages are histiocytes, Kupffer cells, osteoclasts, microglial cells, synovial type A cells, interdigitating cells, and Langerhans cells (in normal tissues) and epithelioid cells and Langerhans type and foreign body type multinucleated giant cells (in inflamed tissues).
Bioinformatics
| Alternate Names |
- Hematopoiesis related macrophage
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