Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Stromal immunology

A fibroblast–macrophage circuit safeguards skin integrity

Nature Immunology volume 27, pages 647–648 (2026)Cite this article

Subjects

Fibroblasts and macrophages have classically been viewed as engaging in a one-way supportive relationship in which fibroblasts sustain macrophage survival. Emerging evidence now challenges this paradigm by demonstrating a bidirectional regulatory circuit in which macrophages actively restrain fibroblast activation to preserve tissue integrity.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: A reciprocal fibroblast–macrophage circuit governs skin integrity.

References

  1. Buechler, M. B. et al. Nature 593, 575–579 (2021).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Zhou, X. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 119, e2205360119 (2022).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Vollmers, A. C. et al. Nat. Immunol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-026-02434-5 (2026).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Younesi, F. S., Miller, A. E., Barker, T. H., Rossi, F. M. V. & Hinz, B. Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol. 25, 617–638 (2024).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Franklin, R. A. Immunol. Rev. 302, 86–103 (2021).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Pang, J., Maienschein-Cline, M. & Koh, T. J. Immunol. 209, 1999–2011 (2022).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Mantovani, A., Allavena, P., Marchesi, F. & Garlanda, C. Nat. Rev. Drug Discov. 21, 799–820 (2022).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Wynn, T. A. & Vannella, K. M. Immunity 44, 450–462 (2016).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Denton, C. P. & Khanna, D. Lancet 390, 1685–1699 (2017).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Rundong Jiang & Johann E. Gudjonsson

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Johann E. Gudjonsson

Authors
  1. Rundong Jiang
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Johann E. Gudjonsson
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Johann E. Gudjonsson.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

J.E.G. has served as an advisor to AbbVie, Almirall, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Sanofi, GSK, Astra Zeneca, Galderma, Boehringer Ingelheim and ZuraBio. R.J. declares no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Jiang, R., Gudjonsson, J.E. A fibroblast–macrophage circuit safeguards skin integrity. Nat Immunol 27, 647–648 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-026-02460-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Version of record:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-026-02460-3

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing