| Title | Alternative activation of macrophages. |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2003 |
| Authors | Gordon, S |
| Journal | Nat Rev Immunol |
| Volume | 3 |
| Pagination | 23–35 |
| Date Published | Jan |
| Keywords | Animals, Antibody Formation, Cell Differentiation, Chemokines, Humans, immunology, Interleukin-13, Interleukin-4, Macrophage Activation, Mice, Th2 Cells |
| Abstract | The classical pathway of interferon-gamma-dependent activation of macrophages by T helper 1 (T(H)1)-type responses is a well-established feature of cellular immunity to infection with intracellular pathogens, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and HIV. The concept of an alternative pathway of macrophage activation by the T(H)2-type cytokines interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-13 has gained credence in the past decade, to account for a distinctive macrophage phenotype that is consistent with a different role in humoral immunity and repair. In this review, I assess the evidence in favour of alternative macrophage activation in the light of macrophage heterogeneity, and define its limits and relevance to a range of immune and inflammatory conditions. |
| URL | http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nri978 |
| DOI | 10.1038/nri978 |
