Interactions of macrophages and T cells in autoimmune diabetes

In autoimmune diabetes, the interactions between CD4 T cells and macrophages are critical to the development and progression of inflammatory events in the pancreatic islet lesion. Cytokines and chemokines produced by autoreactive CD4 T cells lead to recruitment and activation of macrophages. Macrophages, when activated, produce additional inflammatory mediators and become effector cells in pathogenesis.

Section editors:John Corbett – Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, USAClayton Mathews – University of Pittsburg School of Medicine, Pittsburg, USA