Role of macrophages in fetal development and perinatal disorders

In the fetus and the neonate, altered macrophage function has been implicated not only in inflammatory disorders but also in developmental abnormalities marked by altered onset, interruption, or imbalance of key structural changes. The developmental role of macrophages were first noted nearly a century ago, at about the same time when these cells were being identified as central effectors in phagocytosis and elimination of microbes. Since that...