Emerging evidence points to the involvement of specialized cells of the immune system as key drivers in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases. Monocytes are an essential cell component of the innate immune system that rapidly mobilize from the bone marrow to wounded tissues where they differentiate into macrophages or dendritic cells and trigger an immune response. In the healthy heart a limited, but near-constant, number of resident macrophages have been detected; however, this number significantly increases during cardiac damage. Shortly after initial cardiac injury, e.g. myocardial infarction, a large number of macrophages harbouring a pro-inflammatory profile (M1) are rapidly recruited to the cardiac tissue, where they contribute to cardiac remodelling. After this initial period, resolution takes place in the wound, and the infiltrated macrophages display a predominant deactivation/pro-resolution profile (M2), promoting cardiac repair by mediating pro-fibrotic responses. In the present review we focus on the role of the immune cells, particularly in the monocyte/macrophage population, in the progression of the major cardiac pathologies myocardial infarction and atherosclerosis.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
March 2014
-
Cover Image
Cover Image
- PDF Icon PDF LinkFront Matter
- PDF Icon PDF LinkTable of Contents
- PDF Icon PDF LinkEditorial Board
Review Article|
February 14 2014
Involvement of monocytes/macrophages as key factors in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases
María Fernández-Velasco;
María Fernández-Velasco
1
*Instituto de Investigación Hospital Universitario La Paz, IdiPAZ, Paseo de la Castellana 261, 28046 Madrid, Spain
1Correspondence may be addressed to either of these authors (email mvelasco@iib.uam.es/maria.fernandez@idipaz.es or lbosca@iib.uam.es).
Search for other works by this author on:
Silvia González-Ramos;
Silvia González-Ramos
†Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Alberto Sols, CSIC-UAM, Arturo Duperier 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
Lisardo Boscá
Lisardo Boscá
1
†Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Alberto Sols, CSIC-UAM, Arturo Duperier 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
1Correspondence may be addressed to either of these authors (email mvelasco@iib.uam.es/maria.fernandez@idipaz.es or lbosca@iib.uam.es).
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
November 15 2013
Revision Received:
December 09 2013
Accepted:
December 18 2013
Online ISSN: 1470-8728
Print ISSN: 0264-6021
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2014 Biochemical Society
2014
Biochem J (2014) 458 (2): 187–193.
Article history
Received:
November 15 2013
Revision Received:
December 09 2013
Accepted:
December 18 2013
Citation
María Fernández-Velasco, Silvia González-Ramos, Lisardo Boscá; Involvement of monocytes/macrophages as key factors in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. Biochem J 1 March 2014; 458 (2): 187–193. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BJ20131501
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Captcha Validation Error. Please try again.