Learning how to control inflammation could have huge implications for the treatment of many diseases. Breaking research discovers how macrophages turn mitochondria into toxic chemical-producing inflammation-promoters. Share on Pinterest The role of the macrophage in inflammation is complex and wide-ranging. Inflammation plays a significant role in a number of serious medical conditions. Efforts to understand and control it are ongoing. Inflammation is the body’s attempt to protect itself from harmful stimuli. For instance, after a knock to the knee, inflammation helps prevent further damage; it has evolved to become an essential part of our immune system. However, during disease, the inflammatory response can go awry and cause damage to healthy tissue; it is a powerful mechanism that must be tightly controlled. For instance, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, and septic shock all involve high levels of poorly controlled inflammation. In fact, inflammation can actually cause diseases and conditions to occur, such as hay fever, periodontitis, and some cancers.

Macrophages and inflammation Macrophages (meaning “big eaters”) are a type of white blood cell that engulf and digest cellular debris and foreign substances. These biological dustbins maraud within and between cells throughout the body, destroying pathogens as they roam. Alongside their taste for microbes and other invaders, they play a substantial role in orchestrating the immune response. Macrophages stimulate the immune system and help to call it to action when necessary. As part of this role, macrophages are known to promote inflammation. However, once the time has come for the inflammation response to stop, they switch roles, suppressing inflammation and busying themselves with repairing damaged tissue. A team of scientists from the Inflammation Research Group at Trinity College Dublin in the Republic of Ireland joined forces with researchers based at the Medical Research Council Mitochondrial Biology Unit in the United Kingdom. These two institutions linked up with another seven across Europe to take a fresh look at the role of macrophages in inflammation.