Immunity
Volume 19, Issue 1, July 2003, Pages 71-82
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Article
Blood Monocytes Consist of Two Principal Subsets with Distinct Migratory Properties

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Abstract

Peripheral blood monocytes are a heterogeneous population of circulating leukocytes. Using a murine adoptive transfer system to probe monocyte homing and differentiation in vivo, we identified two functional subsets among murine blood monocytes: a short-lived CX3CR1loCCR2+Gr1+ subset that is actively recruited to inflamed tissues and a CX3CR1hiCCR2Gr1 subset characterized by CX3CR1-dependent recruitment to noninflamed tissues. Both subsets have the potential to differentiate into dendritic cells in vivo. The level of CX3CR1 expression also defines the two major human monocyte subsets, the CD14+CD16 and CD14loCD16+ monocytes, which share phenotype and homing potential with the mouse subsets. These findings raise the potential for novel therapeutic strategies in inflammatory diseases.

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These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Present address: The Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Immunology, Rehovot 76100, Israel.