Breast Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Breast Cancer, including details on symptoms, genetics, screening, treatment, information.

Macrophages, more than just scavengers: their role in breast development and cancer.

Gyorki DE, Lindeman GJ

VBCRC Laboratory, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Macrophages, derived from circulating monocytes, are located within virtually all adult tissues. There, these specialized cells adopt tissue-specific functions that are important for normal tissue homeostasis and response to physiological challenges. Increasing evidence suggests that macrophages play a role in the normal development of certain organs, such as the breast. Intriguingly, macrophages are often found in the stroma of breast tumours, where they may promote tumour growth and metastasis. In this review we discuss this emerging area of developmental and tumour biology.

Published 4 June 2008 in ANZ J Surg, 78(6): 432-6.
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