The embryonic macrophages in the heart promote healing after injury, A new research has revealed that immune system plays an essential role in the heart's response to injury. Now, researchers says that two major pools of immune cells are at work in the heart. Both belong to a class of cells known as macrophages. One appears to promote healing, while the other likely drives ignition which is detrimental to long-term heart function.
Macrophages have long been thought of as a single type of cell, the author said. Our study shows really many different types of macrophages that originate in different places in the body. Some are protecting and can help blood vessels grow and reborn tissue. Others are unhealthy and can bring to harm.
Actually, the heart is one of the few organs with a association of macrophages formed in the embryo and maintained into adults. The heart, brain and liver are the only organs that contain large numbers of macrophages that arise in the yolk sac, in very early stages of arises, and they think these macrophages tend to be protective. Healthy hearts maintain this population of embryonic macrophages, as well as a smaller pool of adult macrophages derived from the blood. But during cardiac stress such as high BP, not only were more adult macrophages recruited from the blood and brought to the heart, they actually replaced the embryonic macrophages.
The study is published in the journal Immunity. (ANI)
