Macrophage News and Research

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A macrophage is a type of white blood cell that surrounds and kills microorganisms, removes dead cells, and stimulates the action of other immune system cells.

Macrophage Placement Determines if Tumors Thrive or Regress

Cancer tumors are surrounded by immune cells, but not all of those cells help the body fight back. Some support anti-cancer immunity, while others can unexpectedly help tumors survive.

27 May 2026

Scientists Reconstruct a 700-Million-Year Evolutionary Tree of Blood Cells

Almost all animal species -- including humans -- have blood cells, but between different species our blood tells different stories. The lineage and components of blood cells vary widely, and this variety is a testament to how animals have evolved to protect themselves from infectious diseases.

26 May 2026

Scientists Capture Live-Action Footage of Housekeeping Immune Cells Engulfing Melanoma

Scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have captured, for the first time, 'housekeeping' immune cells actively attacking and engulfing live melanoma cells – a discovery that could change the way we approach treatment for one of Australia's most common and deadly cancers.

22 May 2026

Novel Breast Cancer DNA Signatures Reveal Link Between Genomes and Tumor Immunity

A study led by Dr Jason Pitt, Principal Investigator at the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore), has identified eight new "signatures" of DNA patterns (gains and/or losses) in breast cancer.

19 May 2026

Cell Swelling Found to Trigger Inflammatory Immune Responses

As part of the body's first line of defense against foreign invaders, macrophages play an integral role in the innate immune system.

8 May 2026

How the Microbiome Shapes Cancer Immunity and Therapy Response

This review examines how the human microbiome regulates anti-tumor immunity through DNA damage, inflammation, immune-cell activity, microbial metabolites, and tumor microenvironment remodeling. It highlights emerging microbiome-based strategies, including FMT, probiotics, prebiotics, engineered bacteria, and live biotherapeutics, while stressing the need for rigorous validation and clinical trials.

29 Apr 2026

Drug Development: Development of Dextran Nanoparticles for Stabilizing Delicate Proteins

Nanoscale Research Letters, an open access journal published under Springer Open, presented a study entitled "Development of Dextran Nanoparticles for Stabilizing Delicate Proteins." In this study, a Brookhaven NanoBrook 90Plus Particle Size Analyzer was used to help develop a novel approach to stabilize and encapsulate proteins into dextran nanoparticles.

From Brookhaven Instruments 29 Apr 2026

"Zombie" Macrophages Accumulate in Aging Tissues and Diseased Livers

UCLA researchers have identified a rogue population of immune cells that quietly accumulates in aging tissues and in the livers of people with fatty liver disease. Clearing these cells, they found, dramatically reduced inflammation and reversed liver damage in mice - even while the animals remained on an unhealthy diet.

16 Apr 2026

Regenerative Vascular Grafts Solve Key Shortage In Surgery

Engineered biotubes demonstrate strong mechanical performance and rapid tissue regeneration, offering a scalable solution to the vascular graft shortage.

2 Apr 2026

Macrophages Offer a Safer Alternative to CAR-T Therapies with Lower Toxicity

A new study from researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine has identified a promising strategy to treat brain metastases, one of the most challenging and deadly complications of lung cancer.

3 Mar 2026

MafB Identified as Master Regulator of Macrophage Maturation

Researchers at the University of Liège have identified a key genetic regulator that enables macrophages to reach full maturity and preserve the health of our organs.

27 Feb 2026

New Insights Into Antibody Glycans may Advance Tuberculosis Prevention

Certain antibodies inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the cause of tuberculosis (TB), the infectious disease that claims the most lives worldwide, a study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers found.

23 Feb 2026

Single-cell atlas reveals how melanoma evades the immune system

Integrative analysis of immune ecotypes in skin cancers highlights metabolic reprogramming and macrophage polarization as key factors in melanoma progression.

11 Feb 2026

Gut Microbial Metabolite Hippuric Acid Amplifies Immune Responses

Scientists at The Wistar Institute have identified a previously overlooked mediator in the body's response to life-threatening infections: hippuric acid, a metabolite produced when gut bacteria break down polyphenols from berries, tea, and other plant-based foods.

31 Jan 2026

Protein Translation Enzyme Governs Macrophage Maturation and Tissue Homeostasis

A new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, its Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that an enzyme involved in protein translation is essential for circulating immune cells, called monocytes, to mature into tissue-resident macrophages, a specialized population of immune cells that maintain organ health by clearing dead cells and debris.

24 Jan 2026