Summary
Research published in Cell Proliferation (2026) demonstrates that lactate promotes early bone regeneration by inducing macrophage M1 polarization, which accelerates vascularization at injury sites through the HIF1α-NOD1-calcium influx signaling axis. Lactate-loaded hydrogel scaffolds fabricated using 3D Petri Dish® micro-molds provided a controlled delivery system for studying these immunomodulatory effects in three-dimensional microtissue culture.
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Lactate accelerates early angiogenesis and bone regeneration through macrophage M1 polarization
Cell Proliferation, 2026 · Liu, L. et al 2026 Liu, L. et al
Cite as: Citation: Liu, L. et al. Lactate accelerates early angiogenesis and bone regeneration through macrophage M1 polarization. Cell Proliferation 2026 doi.org/10.1111/cpr.70177
Key Discoveries
- Lactate induces M1 macrophage polarization — In vitro experiments showed that lactate drives macrophages toward the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype, which plays a pivotal role in vascularization during early bone repair.
- HIF1α-NOD1-calcium influx axis identified — The molecular mechanism by which lactate triggers M1 polarization and accelerates angiogenesis was mapped to this novel signaling pathway.
- Enhanced in vivo bone regeneration — Using a cranial bone defect model, lactate was shown to enhance blood vessel formation at the injury site and promote early bone healing.
- Macrophage-dependent healing — Macrophage depletion experiments confirmed that the pro-healing and pro-angiogenic effects of lactate require macrophage presence, establishing causality.
3D Petri Dish® Application
3D Petri Dish®