Table 1

Overview of macrophage populations present within the intestine, with details regarding niche, location, markers and function where known.

NicheLocationMarkerFunctionNotesKey reference
Blood vesselSmall IntestineAdamdec1*Vascular integrity maintenance

  • Self-maintaining

De Schepper et al,21 Cell 2018
NeuronSmall IntestineFcrls*Required for the survival of enteric neurons

  • Self-maintaining

De Schepper et al,21 Cell 2018
UnknownSmall Intestine, ColonTim4 CD4Unknown

  • Long-lived

Shaw et el,22 JEM 2018
Blood vessel/
Crypt		Small Intestine, ColonCD169Monocyte recruitment in colitisAsano et al,123 Nature Communications 2015
CryptSmall IntestineUnknownUnknown

  • Self-maintaining

De Schepper et al,21 Cell 2018
Peyer’s PatchSmall IntestineTim4 CD4Tim4+: Phagocytosis
Tim4-: Microbial defence

  • Tim4 expression discriminates subsets with distinct location and function

Bonnardel et al,140 Cell Reports 2015
Blood vesselSmall IntestineUnknownRegulation of bacterial translocation to blood

  • Microbiota-dependent

  • Monocyte-derived

Honda et al,62 Nature Communications 2020
EpitheliumColonCd11c Cd121bUnknown

  • Microbiota-dependent

Kang et al,82 Mucosal Immunology 2020

  • Markers included are either surface markers, or proposed gene markers derived from single-cell RNA sequencing experiments (labelled with *). Further comments on longevity and microbiota-dependence, in addition to the key reference, are also included.

  • *denotes candidate gene markers identified via single-cell RNA sequencing.