Wenjie He, Jingwen Xu, Xinyun Li
Macrophage polarization plays a vital role in regulating inflammation, and the balance of this process is crucial for maintaining tissue health and influencing disease progression. Recent studies have shown how macrophages can adapt their phenotypes in response to their surroundings, underscoring the importance of their polarization changes in various inflammatory conditions, such as infections, tumors, metabolic disorders, and autoimmune diseases. This review brings together significant advancements in our understanding of the signaling pathways involved in inflammation, the role of epigenetic factors, metabolic changes, and the development of targeted therapies, with the goal of offering new perspectives on treating inflammation-related diseases.