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Updated: Dec 10, 2025
Isolation of Macrophage Subsets and Stromal Cells from Human and Mouse Myocardial Specimens
Published on: December 17, 2019
Resident macrophages as potential therapeutic targets for cardiac ageing and injury
Shiqing Zhang1,2, Rong Chen1,2, Subrata Chakrabarti3
1International Genome Center Jiangsu University Zhenjiang China.
Insights
Cardiac-resident macrophages (CRMs) are key to heart health, clearing dead cells and aiding repair. Understanding CRM subsets offers new avenues for cardiac regeneration and treating cardiovascular diseases.
Area of Science:
- Cardioimmunology
- Cardiac physiology
- Macrophage biology
Background:
- Cardiac-resident macrophages (CRMs) are crucial for maintaining heart homeostasis and clearing cellular debris.
- Recent advances in cardioimmunology illuminate the dynamic phenotypes of CRMs.
- Understanding CRMs is vital for improving cardiac repair and remodeling post-injury.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the composition and renewal of distinct CRM subsets.
- To delineate the roles of CRM subsets in cardiac development, function, and injury response.
- To explore the therapeutic potential of CRMs in cardiovascular diseases.
Main Methods:
- Review of preclinical data and existing literature on CRMs.
- Analysis of CRM subsets' functions in cardiac development and homeostasis.
- Examination of CRM roles in cardiac regeneration, inflammation resolution, and remodeling.
- Discussion of the link between CRM replenishment, cardiomyocyte senescence, and disease.
Main Results:
- CRMs are essential for cardiac development and maintaining physiological functions like electrical conduction.
- Specific CRM subsets promote regeneration, resolve inflammation, and facilitate functional remodeling after cardiac injury.
- CRM replenishment is linked to cardiomyocyte senescence and the progression of cardiovascular diseases.
Conclusions:
- CRMs possess significant therapeutic potential for cardiac repair and regeneration.
- Targeting CRM subsets may offer novel strategies for managing cardiovascular diseases.
- Further research into CRMs is warranted for clinical applications in cardiology.
Abstract:
Cardiac-resident macrophages (CRMs) play critical roles in maintaining cardiac homoeostasis and removing senescent and dying cells. Recent preclinical data have re-energised the area of cardioimmunology and provided improved understanding of the modulation of compositional and functional phenotypes of CRMs. These data can aid in achieving improved cardiac regeneration, repair and functional remodelling following cardiac injury. In this review, we discuss the composition and renewal of various subsets of CRMs. Specific attention has been given to delineate the roles of various CRM subsets with respect to (1) facilitation of cardiac development and maintenance of physiological function such as electrical conduction and rhythm; (2) promotion of cardiac regeneration, inflammation resolution and functional remodelling following a cardiac injury; and (3) therapeutic potential. We have also highlighted the relationship between CRM replenishment and cardiomyocyte senescence as well as cardiovascular diseases development. Finally, we have addressed future perspectives and directions in basic research and potentially clinical applications of CRMs.
