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Updated: Mar 23, 2026
Isolation of Macrophage Subsets and Stromal Cells from Human and Mouse Myocardial Specimens
Published on: December 17, 2019
Primitive Embryonic Macrophages are Required for Coronary Development and Maturation
Jamison Leid1, Joana Carrelha1, Hanane Boukarabila1
1From the Center for Cardiovascular Research, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO (J.L., K.J.L.); Haematopoietic Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom (J.C., H.B., S.E.W.J.); Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (S.E.); and Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO (K.J.L.).
Embryonic macrophages in the developing heart have distinct roles in coronary development. Yolk sac-derived macrophages are crucial for remodeling the coronary plexus, revealing new insights into heart development.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Developmental Immunology
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Macrophages in adult tissues are well-studied, but their roles during organ development are largely unknown.
- The diversity of embryonic macrophage progenitors and their specific functions during organogenesis require further investigation.
- Understanding distinct macrophage lineages and their functions is critical for regenerative medicine and developmental biology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functions of distinct macrophage subsets within the developing heart.
- To elucidate the roles of embryonic-derived macrophages in cardiac development and coronary formation.
- To identify the mechanisms by which macrophages influence vascular development in the embryonic heart.
Main Methods:
- Flow cytometry, immunostaining, and genetic lineage tracing were employed to analyze macrophage populations.
- Characterization of embryonic macrophage subsets based on chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2 (CCR2) expression and progenitor origins (yolk sac, lymphomyeloid, fetal monocyte).
- Investigation of macrophage recruitment and functional mechanisms in coronary vascular remodeling.
Main Results:
- The developing heart harbors diverse embryonic macrophage subsets, including CCR2(-) and CCR2(+) macrophages from yolk sac, lymphomyeloid, and fetal monocyte lineages.
- Yolk sac-derived CCR2(-) macrophages are essential for coronary development by remodeling the primitive coronary plexus.
- These macrophages are recruited to coronary vessels during perfusion and promote vascular remodeling, potentially mediated by insulin-like growth factor signaling.
Conclusions:
- Distinct embryonic macrophage lineages with unique functions reside in the developing heart.
- A novel mechanism involving embryonic macrophages governs coronary development and vascular remodeling.
- These findings provide critical insights into the role of the immune system in organogenesis and cardiovascular development.
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