Differential expression of the fractalkine chemokine receptor (CX3CR1) in human monocytes during differentiation.

ABSTRACT: Circulating monocytes (Mos) may continuously repopulate macrophage (MAC) or dendritic cell (DC) populations to maintain homeostasis. MACs and DCs are specialized cells that play different and complementary immunological functions. Accordingly, they present distinct migratory properties. Specifically, whereas MACs largely remain in tissues, DCs are capable of migrating from peripheral tissues to lymphoid organs. The aim of this work was to analyze the expression of the fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1) during the monocytic differentiation process. Freshly isolated Mos express high levels of both CX3CR1 mRNA and protein. During the Mo differentiation process, CX3CR1 is downregulated in both DCs and MACs. However, MACs showed significantly higher CX3CR1 expression levels than did DC. We also obse

SUBMITTER: Panek CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4716621 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature