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Macrophages

Specialization determines outcomes in inflammation and cancer

Nature Immunology volume 24, pages 1399–1401 (2023)Cite this article

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The functional heterogeneity of macrophages has ontological and microenvironmental bases, and differentially affects pathology. In pancreatitis, tissue-resident macrophages promote protective fibrosis that favors the maintenance of pancreatic homeostasis. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, they promote tumor progression by facilitating stromal desmoplasia.

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Fig. 1: Beneficial versus detrimental roles of tissue-resident macrophages in different disease contexts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale ‘A. Avogadro’, Novara, Italy

    Antonio Sica

  2. Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rozzano, Milan, Italy

    Antonio Sica

  3. Department of Urology, Humanitas Research Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rozzano, Milan, Italy

    Massimo Lazzeri

Authors
  1. Antonio Sica
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  2. Massimo Lazzeri
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Correspondence to Antonio Sica.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Sica, A., Lazzeri, M. Specialization determines outcomes in inflammation and cancer. Nat Immunol 24, 1399–1401 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-023-01592-0

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