Macrophages play a dual role in damaged tissues: they enhance local injury through their effectors functions or they favour repair. Two macrophage populations exist, polarized type I (classically activated) and type II (alternatively activated) macrophages. The characteristics of infiltrating macrophages determine whether they increase the healing process or exacerbate tissue damage in response to sustained noxae. The main goal of the research team directed by Dr. Patrizia Rovere-Querini is to molecularly dissect the role of infiltrating polarized macrophages in in vivo models of acute (toxic) and chronic injury of skeletal muscle (muscular dystrophies and inflammatory myopathies) and of the peritoneum, as a consequence of benign (endometriosis) and malign (ovary carcinoma) ectopic cellular growth.