Abstract
Recruitment of bone marrow derived monocytes via bloodstream and their subsequent conversion to CX3CR1+ macrophages in response to intestinal injury is dependent on CCR2, Nr4a1, and the microbiome. This process is critical for proper tissue repair; however, GATA6+ peritoneal cavity macrophages might represent an alternative, more readily available source of mature and functional myeloid cells at the damaged intestinal locations. Here we show, using spinning-disk confocal microscopy, that large F4/80hiGATA6+ peritoneal cavity macrophages promptly accumulate at damaged intestinal sites upon intestinal thermal injury and upon dextran sodium sulfate induced colitis in mice via a direct route from the peritoneal cavity. In contrast to bloodstream derived monocytes/macrophages, cavity macrophages do not depend on CCR2, Nr4a1 or the microbiome for recruitment, but rather on the ATP-release and exposed hyaluronan at the site of injury. They participate in the removal of necrotic cells, revascularization and collagen deposition and thus resolution of tissue damage. In summary, peritoneal cavity macrophages represent a rapid alternative route of intestinal tissue repair to traditional monocyte-derived macrophages.