Macrophage in Hepatology

Macrophages, a key cellular component of the liver, are critical for maintaining hepatic homeostasis, ensuring rapid responses to injury and promoting repair processes in both acute and chronic liver diseases. Our understanding of liver macrophages has been completely transformed by the discovery of the delineation of heterogeneous subsets of these cells. Kupffer cells (KCs) are self-sustaining, liver-resident macrophages population that differs from the monocyte-derived macrophages (MoMφs), which rapidly accumulate in the injured liver. When homeostasis is disturbed, KCs interact with hepatic cell populations and release chemokines to recruit circulating monocytes, which then differentiate into MoMφs in the liver. These cells promote tissue integrity restoration after liver injury or infection, but they also contribute to the progression of liver diseases such as hepatitis, fibrosis and cancer. The diversity of hepatic macrophage subsets and their plasticity explain their different functional responses in various liver diseases. However, the origins and functions of hepatic macrophages, as well as the relationship between macrophage heterogeneity and cell death/inflammatory responses/hepatic homeostasis in different liver diseases, remain unknown. Thus, the potential of targeting macrophages as a therapeutic strategy for hepatology requires further investigation.

In this Research Topic, we invite investigators to submit Original Research articles as well as Review articles to document new data, review cutting-edge techniques, and develop new ideas to promote these advancements. We are interested in articles that describe basic and clinical research on macrophages in hepatology.

Potential subtopics include, but are not limited to the following:
1. Recent advances in macrophages in hepatology;
2. Functional heterogeneity of macrophages in hepatology;
3. Identification of new regulatory mediators of macrophage in hepatology;
4. New insights into dynamic evolution and reprogramming mechanisms of macrophages subsets in the pathogenesis of hepatology;
5. New insights into molecular signaling crosstalk between macrophages and other parenchymal and nonparenchymal cells in inflammation-related hepatology;
6. New insights into molecular signaling networks that regulate macrophages and apoptosis in cell death-related hepatology;
7. Clinical application of targeting macrophages therapeutic strategy in hepatology.

We would like to thank Dr. Ming Ni, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, for serving as the Topic Coordinator and for contributing to the preparation of the proposal for this Research Topic.