Tag Archives: macrophage
Arming macrophages to stop cancer progression
Macrophages are a type of immune cells that fight infection and support tissue remodeling. They are best known as phagocytes which engulf bacteria and damaged cells stimulating other immune cells. In addition, macrophages assist wound healing processes
Macrophage-myofibroblast transition: a novel target for stopping kidney disease
Kidney is one of the major organs in our body for detoxification. Its failure is an important cause of patient mortality that serves as a primary disease and a lethal complication in a range of diseases such
Physiological brainwashing
There is a barrier in the brain, known as the blood-brain barrier, which strictly regulates the exchange of substances between the blood and this organ. The blood-brain barrier restricts the passage of drugs into the brain and
Prison break – How fungi escape from a hostile environment inside immune cells
Candida albicans is a commensal yeast of humans and colonizes ≈70% of the human population. It is common for C. albicans to cause self-limiting infections, but severe infections can be life-threatening. Invasive candidiasis occurs in patients with a
Cells with an appetite: munching at a single-cell level
Phagocytosis is defined as the receptor-mediated uptake of large particulate matter. This process is particularly efficient in specialized immune cells such as macrophages, neutrophils and dendritic cells. These cells constitute the first line of defense against invading
p38α MAP kinase inhibition in atherosclerosis – a new therapeutic tool?
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Selective recruitment of monocytes into the arterial intima and their transformation into macrophage-derived foam cells is one of the earliest events in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Foam
Antimicrobial peptide-loaded hyaluronic acid nanogels as a new strategy for tuberculosis therapeutics
Tuberculosis (TB), a disease caused by the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is one of the most deadly infectious diseases, along with HIV/AIDS. According to the most recent data, 9.6 million new cases of TB were diagnosed worldwide
Modulation of SOCS3 in macrophages can enhance the clearance of dying cells in inflammation
Macrophages, from the Latin meaning “big eaters”, are key cells of the immune system that have the ability to scan tissues in the body and engulf and destroy invading pathogens. They also play a housekeeping role, to
Cultured macrophages help predict lung toxicity of inhaled nanoparticles
Many small particles of industrial or occupational origin are believed to infer an inflammatory or otherwise toxic potential to human health upon inhalation. Knowledge on this issue is especially important for the very small nanoparticles, which measure
Fighting chronic rejection of transplanted organs
In many diseases the only available cure is organ transplantation. However, if the transplanted organ does not derive from an identical twin (which is genetically identical to the recipient) it becomes rejected by the immune system of
Electric fields drive macrophage healing functions
When the skin is cut, or otherwise injured, a spontaneous electrical current is created immediately at the wound and this promotes healing. Several studies have demonstrated how naturally generated electrical fields cause movement of skin epithelial cells,
Topical administration of an antimicrobial peptide as a new strategy for improved burn wound healing
Burn wounds represent a major global concern, as more than 100 million people worldwide are estimated to experience burn injuries every year. These may be caused upon exposure to heat, radiation, chemicals or electric shocks, often resulting
