Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
Volume 23, Issue 12, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126649
Keywords
fibrosis; liver fibrosis; inflammation; macrophages; Kupffer cells; drug delivery; targeted therapies
Funding
- Italian Ministry of Health [PE-2016-02363915, GR-2018-12367794]
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This review summarizes the role and functions of macrophages in fibrotic diseases, with a specific focus on liver fibrosis, and discusses innovative therapeutic strategies targeting macrophages in fibrotic liver diseases.
Chronic inflammation is the hallmark of fibrotic disorders and is characterized by the activation of immune cells in the damaged tissues. Macrophages have emerged as central players in the fibrotic process since they initiate, sustain and amplify the inflammatory reaction. As regards the liver, distinct populations of phagocytic cells, like Kupffer cells and monocyte-derived macrophages, are indisputably key cells implicated in the pathogenesis of several chronic liver diseases. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the origin, role and functions of macrophages in fibrotic conditions, with a specific focus on liver fibrosis; then, we discuss some innovative therapeutic strategies targeting macrophages in fibrotic liver diseases.
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