2009/07/30 by Filip K. Świrski, Matthias Nahrendorf, Martin Etzrodt +12 · 5 citations
Immunology and Microbiology · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Immune Response and Inflammation #Immune cells in cancer #S100 Proteins and Annexins
paper · doi:10.1126/science.1175202
openalex publication_date 2009/07/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
A current paradigm states that monocytes circulate freely and patrol blood vessels but differentiate irreversibly into dendritic cells (DCs) or macrophages upon tissue entry. Here we show that bona fide undifferentiated monocytes reside in the spleen and outnumber their equivalents in circulation. The reservoir monocytes assemble in clusters in the cords of the subcapsular red pulp and are distinct from macrophages and DCs. In response to ischemic myocardial injury, splenic monocytes increase their motility, exit the spleen en masse, accumulate in injured tissue, and participate in wound healing. These observations uncover a role for the spleen as a site for storage and rapid deployment of monocytes and identify splenic monocytes as a resource that the body exploits to regulate inflammation.