Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (658 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Orientation of intracellular structures especially with respect to the apical and basolateral domains of the plasma membrane. Polarized cells must direct proteins from the Golgi apparatus to the appropriate domain since tight junctions prevent proteins from diffusing between the two domains.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Cell Polarities; Polarities, Cell; Polarity, Cell.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Cell Physiological Phenomena
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 17,073 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Cell Polarity” (counts retrieved 2026-10-29). 2,803 of them (16.4%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2010-2019 with 6,622 records.
Reviews account for 2,717 records (15.9%) and meta-analyses for 1. Randomized controlled trials number 4 (0.0%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 2,034 |
| 2000-2009 | 5,614 |
| 2010-2019 | 6,622 |
| 2020 onward | 2,803 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 2,717 | 15.9% |
| Meta-analyses | 1 | 0.0% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 4 | 0.0% |
Method: PubMed query "Cell Polarity"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-29.
Reading the evidence in molecular biology
Molecular biology establishes mechanisms through controlled experiments, often in simplified systems such as purified proteins, cultured cells or model organisms. Such work can show what is possible in a defined system, but whether a pathway matters in a whole organism or in human disease needs further evidence. Check the experimental system, whether findings were reproduced by independent groups, and whether the authors tested the mechanism directly or inferred it from correlation.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macrophage Polarity and Disease Control | 2021 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 270 | cc by PMID 35008577 · DOI · PMC8745226 |
| Impact of Lipid Metabolism on Macrophage Polarization: Implications for Inflammation and Tumor Immunity | 2023 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 177 | cc by PMID 37569407 · DOI · PMC10418847 |
| Metabolic reprogramming mediates hippocampal microglial M1 polarization in response to surgical trauma causing perioperative neurocognitive disorders | 2021 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 95 | cc by PMID 34774071 · DOI · PMC8590219 |
| Controlling Intestinal Organoid Polarity using Synthetic Dynamic Hydrogels Decorated with Laminin-Derived IKVAV Peptides | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 9 | cc by PMID 40904064 · DOI · PMC12927536 |
Macrophage Polarity and Disease Control [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Macrophages are present in most human tissues and have very diverse functions.
- Closing excerpt
- In this review, we assess the current state of knowledge on macrophage polarity and report on its prospects as a therapeutic target.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (84 words)
Macrophages are present in most human tissues and have very diverse functions. Activated macrophages are usually divided into two phenotypes, M1 macrophages and M2 macrophages, which are altered by various factors such as microorganisms, tissue microenvironment, and cytokine signals. Macrophage polarity is very important for infections, inflammatory diseases, and malignancies; its management can be key in the prevention and treatment of diseases. In this review, we assess the current state of knowledge on macrophage polarity and report on its prospects as a therapeutic target.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 35008577 · DOI · PMC8745226
Impact of Lipid Metabolism on Macrophage Polarization: Implications for Inflammation and Tumor Immunity [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Macrophage polarization is influenced by lipids, which also exert significant control over macrophage functions.
- Closing excerpt
- Cyclooxygenase inhibitors, which block the conversion of arachidonic acid into various inflammatory mediators, influence macrophage polarization and have generated attention in cancer research.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (183 words)
Macrophage polarization is influenced by lipids, which also exert significant control over macrophage functions. Lipids and their metabolites are players in intricate signaling pathways that modulate macrophages' responses to pathogens, phagocytosis, ferroptosis, and inflammation. This review focuses on lipid metabolism and macrophage functions and addresses potential molecular targets for the treatment of macrophage-related diseases. While lipogenesis is crucial for lipid accumulation and phagocytosis in M1 macrophages, M2 macrophages likely rely on fatty acid β-oxidation to utilize fatty acids as their primary energy source. Cholesterol metabolism, regulated by factors such as SREBPs, PPARs, and LXRs, is associated with the cholesterol efflux capacity and the formation of foam cells (M2-like macrophages). Foam cells, which are targets for atherosclerosis, are associated with an increase in inflammatory cytokines. Lipolysis and fatty acid uptake markers, such as CD36, also contribute to the production of cytokines. Enhancing the immune system through the inhibition of lipid-metabolism-related factors can potentially serve as a targeted approach against tumor cells. Cyclooxygenase inhibitors, which block the conversion of arachidonic acid into various inflammatory mediators, influence macrophage polarization and have generated attention in cancer research.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 37569407 · DOI · PMC10418847
Metabolic reprogramming mediates hippocampal microglial M1 polarization in response to surgical trauma causing perioperative neurocognitive disorders [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundMicroglial polarization toward pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype are major contributors to the development of perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PNDs).
- Closing excerpt
- Manipulating microglial metabolism might provide a valuable therapeutic strategy for treating PNDs.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (196 words)
BackgroundMicroglial polarization toward pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype are major contributors to the development of perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PNDs). Metabolic reprogramming plays an important role in regulating microglial polarization. We therefore hypothesized that surgical trauma can activate microglial M1 polarization by metabolic reprogramming to induce hippocampal neuroinflammation and subsequent postoperative cognitive impairment.MethodsWe used aged mice to establish a model of PNDs, and investigated whether surgical trauma induced metabolic reprograming in hippocampus using PET/CT and GC/TOF-MS based metabolomic analysis. We then determined the effect of the glycolytic inhibitor 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) on hippocampal microglial M1 polarization, neuroinflammation, and cognitive function at 3 d after surgery.ResultsWe found that surgery group had less context-related freezing time than either control or anesthesia group (P 0.05). The level of Iba-1 fluorescence intensity in hippocampus were significantly increased in surgery group than that in control group (P +CD206-) phenotype in enriched microglia from hippocampus and up-regulation of pro-inflammatory mediators (IL-1β and IL-6) expression in hippocampus. Furthermore, glycolytic inhibition by 2-DG ameliorated the hippocampus dependent cognitive deficit caused by surgical trauma.ConclusionsMetabolic reprogramming is crucial for regulating hippocampal microglial M1 polarization and neuroinflammation in PNDs. Manipulating microglial metabolism might provide a valuable therapeutic strategy for treating PNDs.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 34774071 · DOI · PMC8590219
Controlling Intestinal Organoid Polarity using Synthetic Dynamic Hydrogels Decorated with Laminin-Derived IKVAV Peptides [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Intestinal organoids are three-dimensional cellular structures that are cultured in laminin-rich Matrigel, yielding organoids with correct, basal-out polarity.
- Closing excerpt
- Our findings demonstrate the essential role of the IKVAV motif in guiding intestinal organoid polarity in synthetic dynamic hydrogels - paving the way for the future design of synthetic systems to culture complex living tissue.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (195 words)
Intestinal organoids are three-dimensional cellular structures that are cultured in laminin-rich Matrigel, yielding organoids with correct, basal-out polarity. Removal of Matrigel results in organoids with reversed, apical-out polarity, demonstrating its vital role. However, Matrigel's composition is ill-defined, and its pathogenic origin poses challenges in reproducibility. Therefore, we here introduce a fully synthetic dynamic hydrogel that presents the IKVAV peptide as a laminin-mimic for guiding intestinal organoid polarity in a minimalistic, controlled manner. The ureido-pyrimidinone moiety is used to form supramolecular hydrogels that have orthogonal control over properties, like stiffness, ligand type and concentration. It is found that the IKVAV peptide combined with integrin activating antibody TS2/16 controls intestinal organoid polarity. Increasing hydrogel dynamics (stress-relaxing half-life time of ≈1000 to 30 s) further supports the growth of intestinal organoids with correct polarity, while a bulk level of stiffness (G' ≈0.7 kPa) is crucial to offer mechanical support. Through manipulation of integrins, it is revealed that the IKVAV-organoid interaction is integrin β1-mediated. Our findings demonstrate the essential role of the IKVAV motif in guiding intestinal organoid polarity in synthetic dynamic hydrogels - paving the way for the future design of synthetic systems to culture complex living tissue.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40904064 · DOI · PMC12927536
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article A polarizing question: do M1 and M2 microglia exist? [5]
- Research article Organization and execution of the epithelial polarity programme [6]
- Research article Macrophage polarization and diabetic wound healing [7]
- Research article Planar cell polarity in development and disease [8]
- Research article EMT and inflammation: inseparable actors of cancer progression [9]
- Research article Apical constriction: themes and variations on a cellular mechanism driving morphogenesis [10]
References
- Kadomoto S, Izumi K, Mizokami A. Macrophage Polarity and Disease Control. . 2021. PMID 35008577 · DOI · PMC8745226
- Vassiliou E, Farias-Pereira R. Impact of Lipid Metabolism on Macrophage Polarization: Implications for Inflammation and Tumor Immunity. . 2023. PMID 37569407 · DOI · PMC10418847
- Luo G, Wang X, Cui Y, Cao Y, Zhao Z, Zhang J. Metabolic reprogramming mediates hippocampal microglial M1 polarization in response to surgical trauma causing perioperative neurocognitive disorders. . 2021. PMID 34774071 · DOI · PMC8590219
- Rijns L, Wijnakker JAPM, Veenbrink VA, Bellan R, Craenmehr FWB, Hendrikse SIS, et al.. Controlling Intestinal Organoid Polarity using Synthetic Dynamic Hydrogels Decorated with Laminin-Derived IKVAV Peptides. . 2026. PMID 40904064 · DOI · PMC12927536
- Ransohoff RM. A polarizing question: do M1 and M2 microglia exist?. Nat Neurosci. 2016. PMID 27459405 · DOI
- Rodriguez-Boulan E, Macara IG. Organization and execution of the epithelial polarity programme. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2014. PMID 24651541 · DOI · PMC4211427
- Louiselle AE, Niemiec SM, Zgheib C, Liechty KW. Macrophage polarization and diabetic wound healing. Transl Res. 2021. PMID 34089902 · DOI
- Butler MT, Wallingford JB. Planar cell polarity in development and disease. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2017. PMID 28293032 · DOI · PMC5826606
- Suarez-Carmona M, Lesage J, Cataldo D, Gilles C. EMT and inflammation: inseparable actors of cancer progression. Mol Oncol. 2017. PMID 28599100 · DOI · PMC5496491
- Martin AC, Goldstein B. Apical constriction: themes and variations on a cellular mechanism driving morphogenesis. Development. 2014. PMID 24803648 · DOI · PMC4011084
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-29.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.