Figure 1.

Comparison of the type of monocyte/macrophage response in spinal cord injury (SCI) with non-central nervous system (CNS) tissue.

Monocytes can differentiate into macrophages with different phenotypes. Macrophages can display different activation states. Macrophage activation can range from classical M1 activation at one pole - the most pro-inflammatory macrophages, to M2 alternative activation with anti-inflammatory effects and associated with tissue repair. The temporal dynamics of macrophage infiltration and activation phenotyope after injury is different in the spinal cord compared to non-CNS tissue.