Lung macrophages in pulmonary homeostasis and disease: from basic biology to clinical applications

Yule Zhang; Sujuan Sun; Jianlin Yang; Haidan Chen; Min Liu; Hongyan Wu

doi:10.5114/ceji.2025.154651

eISSN: 1644-4124
ISSN: 1426-3912

Central European Journal of Immunology

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abstract:

Review paper

Lung macrophages in pulmonary homeostasis and disease: from basic biology to clinical applications

Yule Zhang

^{1, 2}

,

Sujuan Sun

³

,

Jianlin Yang

^{1, 2}

,

Haidan Chen

^{4, 5}

,

Min Liu

³

,

Hongyan Wu

^{1, 2}

College of Basic Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, China
Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, China
State Key Laboratory of Virology and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, and Department of Immunology, Wuhan University TaiKang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), China
The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, China
Department of Spine Surgery, Yichang Central People’s Hospital, China

Cent Eur J Immunol 2025; 50 (3)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/ceji.2025.154651

Online publish date: 2025/10/01

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Lung macrophages, as key components of the pulmonary immune system, exert multiple key functions in maintaining pulmonary homeostasis and immune defense by eliminating pathogens (such as bacteria and viruses), modulating inflammatory responses, participating in antigen presentation, and promoting tissue repair. This review summarizes the fundamental biological functions of lung macro- phages and explores their mechanisms of action in diseases such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), influenza, tuberculosis (TB) and lung cancer. Mounting evidence highlights the crucial link between macrophage dysfunction and disease progression. With the advent of advanced technologies such as single-cell transcriptomics, CRISPR gene editing, and proteomics, our understanding of lung macrophage heterogeneity, developmental origins, and functional landscapes has significantly expanded. However, challenges remain in the field, and future research requires interdisciplinary efforts to unravel the molecular mechanisms of macrophages in disease and to develop novel therapeutic targets and strategies for the prevention and treatment of lung diseases.

keywords:

Lung macrophages in pulmonary homeostasis and disease: from basic biology to clinical applications

Yule Zhang 1, 2 , Sujuan Sun 3 , Jianlin Yang 1, 2 , Haidan Chen 4, 5 , Min Liu 3 , Hongyan Wu 1, 2

inflammation, immune response, tissue repair, lung macrophages, lung homeostasis

Yule Zhang

^{1, 2}

,

Sujuan Sun

³

,

Jianlin Yang

^{1, 2}

,

Haidan Chen

^{4, 5}

,

Min Liu

³

,

Hongyan Wu

^{1, 2}