Comparative evaluation of cellular senescence in naturally aged and stress-induced murine macrophages for identifying optimum senescent macrophage study systems.

Background: The role and relevance of macrophages both as causes and therapeutics of cellular senescence is rapidly emerging. However, current knowledge regarding the extent and depth of senescence in macrophages in vivo is limited and controversial. Further, acute models of stress-induced senescence in transformed/cancerous macrophage cell lines are being used although their efficacy and relevance are not characterized.