Modulation of macrophages by biophysical cues in health and beyond

Heather Wilson* (Corresponding Author)

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

Macrophages play a key role in tissue development and homeostasis, innate immune defence against microbes or tumours, and restoring homeostasis through tissue regeneration following infection or injury. The ability to adopt such diverse functions is due to their heterogeneous nature, which is driven largely by their developmental origin and their response to signals they encounter from the microenvironment. The most well characterised signals driving macrophage phenotype and function, are biochemical and metabolic. However, the way macrophages sense and respond to their extracellular biophysical environment is becoming increasingly recognised in the field of mechano-immunology. These biophysical cues can be signals from tissue components, such as the composition and charge of extracellular matrix or topography, elasticity, and stiffness of the tissue surrounding cells; and mechanical forces such as shear stress or stretch. Macrophages are important in determining whether disease resolves or becomes chronic. Ageing and diseases such as cancer or fibrotic disorders are associated with significant changes in the tissue biophysical environment, and this provides signals that integrate with those from biochemical and metabolic stimuli to ultimately dictate the overall function of macrophages. This review provides a brief overview of macrophage polarization, followed by a selection of commonly recognised physiological and applied biophysical stimuli impacting macrophage activity, and the potential signalling mechanisms driving downstream responses. The effects of biophysical cues on macrophages function in homeostasis and disease, and the associated clinical implications are also highlighted.
Original languageEnglish
Article numberkyad013
Number of pages11
JournalDiscovery Immunology
Volume2
Issue number1
Early online date10 Aug 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10 Aug 2023

Bibliographical note

Open Access via the OUP Agreement
Thanks to Dr Tara E Sutherland, University of Aberdeen for critically reviewing this manuscript. The Editor-in-Chief, Simon Milling, and handling editor, [], would like to thank the following reviewers, Dr Miguel Pineda, for their contribution to the publication of this article.

Keywords

  • macrophages
  • mechanosensing
  • mechanotransduction
  • extracellular matrix
  • biophysical cues

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