The role of macrophages in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis (AS) has emerged as a major global health concern, serving as the pathological basis of the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases. It is acknowledged that macrophage is involved in the whole process of AS plaque formation and development. Therefore, this review aims to discuss the role of macrophages in the formation and development of AS plaques. Literature search with key words “atherosclerosis” and “macrophage” was conducted in PubMed database. A total of 281 literatures were retrieved, of which 46 were selected for inclusion in this review. This review summarizes and categorizes the progress of articles published from 2019 to 2024 on the mechanism of macrophages in the formation and development of AS, suggesting that macrophages are mainly involved in the formation and development of AS through adhesion and recruitment, immune inflammation, lipid metabolism and phagocytosis.