Heterogeneity within tissue-specific macrophage and dendritic cell populations during cutaneous inflammation in atopic dermatitis

Abstract

In this study we observed changes in macrophage number and phenotype during cutaneous inflammation in AD. Dendritic cell numbers did not change; however, phenotypically dendritic cell and macrophage subpopulations showed increasing overlap during inflammation in AD skin. We show for the first time that within tissue-specific macrophage populations further subpopulations are present, and that monocyte-derived cells may express markers for both dendritic cells and macrophages. Our results point to the existence of a heterogeneous pool of macrophage/dendritic cell-like cells, from which subpopulations of dermal macrophages and dendritic cells arise.