A generalized protocol for the induction of M2-like macrophages from mouse and rat bone marrow mononuclear cells

Regardless of origin and localization, macrophages are the major immune cells that maintain homeostasis in both healthy and diseased states. However, there is no consensus on the phenotypes, functions and fates of macrophages. Existing studies clarify macrophage biology from different biomedical research perspectives, but the heterogeneity of induction methods hinders reproducibility and comparability. To address this problem, we validated a novel generalized <i>in vitro</i> protocol for the induction of M2-like macrophages from mice and rats bone marrow mononuclear cells. Our approach improves reliability and cross-species applicability, providing a valuable tool for macrophage research.