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A macrophage-activating factor (MAF) is a lymphokine or other receptor based signal that primes macrophages towards cytotoxicity to tumors, cytokine secretion, or clearance of pathogens. Similar molecules may cause development of an inhibitory, regulatory phenotype. A MAF can also alter the ability of macrophages to present MHC I antigen, participate in Th responses, and/or affect other immune responses. MAFs act typically in combination to produce a specific phenotype.〔 ==Macrophage activated phenotypes== Macrophages inherently display tissue and environment-dependent plasticity. In addition, the phenotypes of the macrophages in a certain environment play a fundamental role in determining the immune activity and response within the tissue. Depending on the combination of MAFs signaling to the macrophage, the macrophage’s activated phenotype becomes one of three major categories: classically activated, wound healing, or regulatory. Regulatory-phenotype macrophages have only recently been recognized as an important contributor to tissue microenvironments. Tumor-associated macrophages may be any of these types, and they have been found to be important players in the tumor microenvironment. Analysis of the macrophage population and signaling in a tumor may provide useful clinical data.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Macrophage-activating factor」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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