Download or read book Plasticity and Metabolic Switching in Adipose Tissue Macrophages written by Junji Xing and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2023-09-05 with total page 129 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Macrophages are the most common immune cells present in adipose tissues. These adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) have an important role in regulating homeostasis and contributing to the metabolically harmful chronic inflammation seen in some obese individuals. Macrophages are cells exhibiting plasticity, that is to alter their polarization between pro- and anti-inflammatory phenotypes, in response to stimuli in their microenvironments. There has been a deal of evidence supporting the heterogeneity of these ATM populations, however, research into their differential functionality, developmental origin, and phenotype warrants further research to reach a consensus. Further questions remain regarding the nature of this macrophage differentiation and plasticity, and whether it is innately determined or is induced by the specific adipose tissue microenvironment. Differences in the phenotypes of metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO) and the metabolically healthy obese (MHO) individuals suggest that there are differences in both tissues and overall systemic function. The divergent phenotypes seen in MHO and MUO individuals provides evidence that differences in adipose tissue function are determined by local inflammatory responses driven by macrophage plasticity towards pro-inflammatory phenotypes.