Macrophages and dendritic cells (Mφ and DC)

Macrophages and dendritic cells are essential components of the myeloid lineage that serve as professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs), bridging innate and adaptive immunity (StatPearls, 2023). Macrophages are primarily recognized for their roles in phagocytosis, cytokine production, and tissue homeostasis, often adopting pro-inflammatory (M1) or anti-inflammatory (M2) phenotypes depending on the microenvironment (NCBI, 2022). Dendritic cells are specialized in capturing, processing, and presenting antigens to T cells, thereby initiating primary immune responses (Nature Reviews Immunology, 2019). In many diseases, particularly cancer, these cells are recruited to the site of pathology where they can either combat the disease or be "reprogrammed" to support it, such as tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) promoting tumor growth and immunosuppression (Journal of Hematology & Oncology, 2021). Therapeutic interventions do not target the cells as a whole but rather specific molecular markers or signaling pathways within them, such as the Colony Stimulating Factor 1 Receptor (CSF1R) or Toll-like receptors (TLRs), to alter their recruitment or functional state (PubChem, 2024). Consequently, while these cells are critical therapeutic focal points, the term "Macrophages and dendritic cells" describes a cellular population rather than a discrete molecular target.

Other names

Mononuclear phagocytesAntigen-presenting cellsAPCsMyeloid cellsMonocyte-derived cells

Modulation of immune cell activity, recruitment, or polarization through specific surface receptors or signaling pathways (e.g., CSF1R inhibition or TLR agonism) (StatPearls, 2023; PubChem, 2024).