Research Progress on Macrophage Heterogeneity in Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is the pathophysiological basis of a variety of cardiovascular diseases,with monocytes/macrophages being a key cell type that participates in the initiation of vascular inflammation,the formation,progression and rupture of atherosclerotic plaques.In recent years,with the rapid development of single-cell sequencing technology,the high heterogeneity and plas-ticity of mononuclear macrophages in plaques have been gradually elucidated.This article reviews the latest monocyte/macrophage subtypes identified in patients and mouse models of atheroscle-rosis through single-cell sequencing technology,summarizes their markers,functional heteroge-neity,and underlying mechanisms,with the aim of providing more precise directions for the di-agnosis and treatment of atherosclerosis.