Severe flu risk as immune cells swap with age

ETH researchers found that in mice, long-lived embryonic macrophages in the lungs die upon aging and during infection and are replaced by inflammatory bone marrow-derived macrophages. This causes severe disease progression when infected with viral flu.

Illustration of a macrophage in pulmonary air sacs (alveoli)
Illustration of a macrophage in pulmonary air sacs (alveoli). These scavenger cells, which are part of the immune system, protect the airways against bacteria and viruses as well as playing a key role in unregulated immune reactions. 

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