Tumor-associated macrophage

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are a class of immune cells present in high numbers in the microenvironment of solid tumors. They are heavily involved in cancer-related inflammation. Macrophages are known to originate from bone marrow-derived blood monocytes (monocyte-derived macrophages) or yolk sac progenitors (tissue-resident macrophages), but the exact origin of TAMs in human tumors remains to be elucidated.[1] The composition of monocyte-derived macrophages and tissue-resident macrophages in the tumor microenvironment depends on the tumor type, stage, size, and location, thus it has been proposed that TAM identity and heterogeneity is the outcome of interactions between tumor-derived, tissue-specific, and developmental signals.[2]

  1. ^ Komohara Y, Fujiwara Y, Ohnishi K, Takeya M (April 2016). "Tumor-associated macrophages: Potential therapeutic targets for anti-cancer therapy". Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. 99 (Pt B): 180–185. doi:10.1016/j.addr.2015.11.009. PMID 26621196.
  2. ^ Ostuni R, Kratochvill F, Murray PJ, Natoli G (April 2015). "Macrophages and cancer: from mechanisms to therapeutic implications". Trends in Immunology. 36 (4): 229–239. doi:10.1016/j.it.2015.02.004. PMID 25770924.