Table 1.

M1-like vs M2-like macrophages in mycobacterial infection.

	M1-like	M2-like
Baseline	Predominantly glycolytic Pro-inflammatory Microbicidal Key markers: CD86, iNOS, ROS	Mainly reliant on oxidative metabolism Anti-inflammatory Tissue repair Key markers: CD206, CD163, Arg
M.tb	Interstitial macrophages Glycolysis needed for M.tb control (47) M.tb restricts glycolysis (48–50)	Alveolar macrophages More permissive to M.tb growth (30)
M.leprae	Predominant tuberculoid, lesions (39, 51) Blocks M1 polarization in infected monocytes (52)	Predominant in severe lesions (39, 51) Favor bacterial persistence (53) Infections promote M2 phenotype in hMDMs (54, 55) Promotes Treg phenotype (54, 55)

Summary of the key distinctive factors between the M1-like and M2-like macrophage populations. Each population plays a different role in the context of M.tb and M.leprae infection, and have specific capabilities to combat infection, resulting in differential outcome.