tissue-resident macrophage kidney interstitial cell kidney resident macrophage https://cellxgene.cziscience.com/cellguide/CL_1000698 A tissue-resident macrophage that is part of some kidney. Kidney resident macrophages are a heterogeneous population of immune cell found in the cortex and medullary regions of the kidney as well as within and surround the glomeruli. Their primary role involves maintaining homeostasis and immune surveillance in the kidney microenvironment, defending against ascending urinary infections. Beyond traditional macrophage roles such as phagocytosis and antigen presentation, kidney resident macrophages also contribute significantly to the response to kidney injury including tissue repair and angiogenesis. Under normal physiological conditions, kidney resident macrophages work to maintain the balance of the kidney's microenvironment by removing dead cells, pathogens and cellular debris, to limit inflammation and tissue damage. They are ‘professional’ phagocytes, clearing pathogens and debris by engulfing and digesting these harmful materials. Moreover, they are capable of presenting antigens to other immune cells, which aids in the activation of the adaptive immune response. Kidney resident macrophages show a high degree of plasticity: in response to environmental stimuli they change their morphology and cell surface markers. For example, in response to acute injury, some macrophages adopt a pro-inflammatory phenotype and augment tissue damage; once the injury stimulus is removed, they may change to mediate tissue repair. While kidney macrophages contribute to wound healing, tissue repair and regeneration by producing key growth factors and cytokines that stimulate cell proliferation, collagen production, and blood vessel formation, dysregulation in their activity can also lead to progressive inflammation and fibrosis, common features in chronic kidney disease. (This extended description was generated by ChatGPT and reviewed by the CellGuide team, who added references, and by the CL editors, who approved it for inclusion in CL. It may contain information that applies only to some subtypes and species, and so should not be considered definitional.) KUPO:0001109