The Dance Between Schwann Cells and Macrophages During the Repair of Peripheral Nerve Injury
Wei Li1 · Guixian Liu1 · Jie Liang1 · Xiao Wang1 · Meiying Song1 · Xiaoli Liu1 · Luoyang Wang1 · Zijie Yang2 · Bei Zhang1
1 Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
2 Department of Special Medicine, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
Abstract
Schwann cells and macrophages are the main immune cells involved in peripheral nerve injury. After injury, Schwann cells produce an inflammatory response and secrete various chemokines, inflammatory factors, and some other cytokines to promote the recruitment and M2 polarization of blood-derived macrophages, enhancing their phagocytotic ability, and thus play an important role in promoting nerve regeneration. Macrophages have also been found to promote vascular regeneration after injury, promote the migration and proliferation of Schwann cells along blood vessels, and facilitate myelination and axon regeneration. Therefore, there is a close interaction between Schwann cells and macrophages during peripheral nerve regeneration, but this has not been systematically summarized. In this review, the mechanisms of action of Schwann cells and macrophages in each other's migration and phenotypic transformation are reviewed from the perspective of each other, to provide directions for research on accelerating nerve injury repair.
Keywords
Peripheral nerve injury; Schwann cells; Macrophages; Interaction; Regeneration
