TY - JOUR T1 - The heterogeneity of lung macrophages in the susceptibility to disease JF - European Respiratory Review JO - EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY REVIEW SP - 505 LP - 509 DO - 10.1183/16000617.0031-2015 VL - 24 IS - 137 AU - Luisa Morales-Nebreda AU - Alexander V. Misharin AU - Harris Perlman AU - G.R. Scott Budinger Y1 - 2015/09/01 UR - http://err.ersjournals.com/content/24/137/505.abstract N2 - Alveolar macrophages are specialised resident phagocytes in the alveolus, constituting the first line of immune cellular defence in the lung. As the lung microenvironment is challenged and remodelled by inhaled pathogens and air particles, so is the alveolar macrophage pool altered by signals that maintain and/or replace its composition. The signals that induce the recruitment of circulating monocytes to the injured lung, as well as their distinct gene expression profile and susceptibility to epigenetic reprogramming by the local environment remain unclear. In this review, we summarise the unique characteristics of the alveolar macrophage pool ontogeny, phenotypic heterogeneity and plasticity during homeostasis, tissue injury and normal ageing. We also discuss new evidence arising from recent studies where investigators described how the epigenetic landscape drives the specific gene expression profile of alveolar macrophages. Altogether, new analysis of macrophages by means of “omic” technologies will allow us to identify key pathways by which these cells contribute to the development and resolution of lung disease in both mice and humans.Alveolar macrophages: the influence of ontogeny and microenvironment on epigenetically programmed responses to stress http://ow.ly/Owei1 ER -