ABSTRACT
Abstract .................................................................................................................. 382 22.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 382 22.2 Polarization of Macrophages/Microglia ....................................................... 383
22.2.1 Phenotypic Characterization of Macrophages/Microglia .................384 22.3 Modulation of Macrophage Phenotypes for Therapeutic
Intervention in CNS .......................................................................................... 384 22.3.1 Central Nervous System Trauma ...................................................... 385 22.3.2 Alzheimer’s Disease ......................................................................... 385 22.3.3 Multiple Sclerosis ............................................................................. 386 22.3.4 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ......................................................... 386
22.4 M2 Polarization in Brain Ischemia ............................................................... 387 22.4.1 Polarization of Macrophages/Microglia as a Therapeutic
Target in Stroke ................................................................................. 388 References .............................................................................................................. 389
Monocyte/macrophage phenotypes have been classied into two main groups designated as M1 (classically activated) and M2 (alternatively activated). M1 activation is mainly associated with cytotoxicity, whereas M2 macrophages favor trophic functions and elimination of apoptotic bodies and promote conditions that support repair and return to tissue homeostasis. In this chapter, we will review the effects of M2 polarization of macrophages/microglia in animal models of several pathologies of the central nervous system with an inammatory background, such as Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, paying special attention to stroke. The majority of these studies associate M2 polarization with a benecial effect in disease outcome. These studies pave the way to the development of new therapeutic approaches for stroke treatment by actively changing the macrophage/microglia activation state away from a proinammatory gene prole to a gene prole that supports repair and tissue reconstruction.
