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Updated: Apr 28, 2026

Isolation of Murine Peritoneal Macrophages to Carry Out Gene Expression Analysis Upon Toll-like Receptors Stimulation
Published on: April 29, 2015
Macrophages: central regulators of iron balance
Elena Gammella1, Paolo Buratti, Gaetano Cairo
1Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Via Mangiagalli 31, 20133 Milano, Italy. gaetano.cairo@unimi.it.
Abstract:
Macrophages are important to immune function and also actively participate in iron homeostasis. The involvement of splenic and liver macrophages in the processing of effete erythrocytes and the subsequent return of iron to the circulation is well established, and the molecular details of iron recycling have been characterized recently. Another important aspect regarding iron handling by macrophages is their capacity to act as immune cells, which involves the inflammatory response, as well as other pathological conditions in which macrophages are central. This review discusses the latest advances in macrophage iron trafficking and the pathophysiological consequences of altered iron homeostasis in these cells.
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