Blood-resident macrophages safeguard blood and vessel integrity
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Macrophages are essential in immune defence, tissue development, and disease onset and progression. Their function is in part dictated by their microenvironment and origin. Tissue-resident macrophages originate from yolk sac progenitors, persisting in adult organs and tissues mainly through self-renewal. Although ubiquitously present throughout the body, no dedicated macrophage population is known to function within the vast network of blood vessels, despite the importance of maintaining a healthy vascular and blood system. Here, we identified a distinctive population of macrophages residing within blood vessels, which we termed blood-resident macrophages (bMΦ). bMΦ actively survey the blood to eliminate foreign particles and unfit cells, and act as the first responders to endothelial damage. bMΦ emerge directly from the main axial vessels of zebrafish embryos though an atypical endothelial-to-macrophage transition (EMacT), independent of Runx1 and Csf1r, both essential for hematopoietic stem cell and myeloid cell production, respectively. Our data thus unveil the existence of a specialized population of macrophages that function within the confinement of the vasculature to safeguard blood from foreign threats and maintain blood vessel integrity. These discoveries not only expand our understanding of immune surveillance mechanisms but also offer potential avenues for the treatment of bloodborne diseases and vascular injuries.
INSTRUMENT(S):
ORGANISM(S): Danio Rerio (zebrafish) (brachydanio Rerio)
TISSUE(S): Macrophage
SUBMITTER:
Jeroen Demmers
LAB HEAD: Jeroen Demmers
PROVIDER: PXD052344 | Pride | 2026-03-11
REPOSITORIES: Pride
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