| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Macrophages are one of the most multifunctional cell types performing important roles in development, host defense, homeostasis, and tissue repair. They are present in virtually every tissue and display diverse phenotypes depending on their anatomical locations where they perform specialized functions that are essential for normal tissue physiology and homeostasis. Additionally, a variety of diseases are associated with the disruption of tissue-specific macrophage functions. Aberrant macrophage functions contribute to a broad spectrum of pathologies including cancer, metabolic diseases, atherosclerosis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibrosis. Thus, uncovering the specialized functions of tissue macrophages is critical for the understanding of normal tissue functions as well as for therapeutic implication for human diseases. We have identified novel mesothelial cell type which regulate the development and the functional specialization of macrophages in body cavity.
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