FIG. 1.
Involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in monocyte/macrophage development. Circulating monocytes are primarily considered the precursors of macrophages. Monocytes originate from adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that under favorable conditions differentiate to → lymphoid–myeloid progenitor (LMP) → granulocyte–monocyte progenitor (GMP) and via multiple steps mature to monocytes. In blood, two populations of monocytes namely Ly6c+ or Ly6c− have been identified in mice. The monocytes then enter to tissues and differentiate to macrophages.