van Furth R, Cohn Z A, Hirsch J G, Humphrey J H, Spector W G, Langevoort H L
Bull World Health Organ. 1972;46(6):845-52.
There have been many attempts in the past to classify phagocytic mononuclear cells and to define the cell system they are considered to form-among these being the "macrophage system" of Metchnikoff, the "reticulo-endothelial system" of Aschoff, and the "reticulo-histiocyte system" proposed by Volterra and reintroduced by Thomas. None of these is entirely adequate in the light of present knowledge. In 1969, therefore, a group of workers proposed a new classification of all highly phagocytic mononuclear cells and their precursors in what they termed the "mononuclear phagocyte system". This system includes the promonocytes and their precursors in the bone marrow, the monocytes in the peripheral blood, and the macrophages in the tissues. Subsequent consultation with numerous other specialists throughout the world led to a certain number of changes in this classification, which is now proposed in revised form.Inclusion of cells in the "mononuclear phagocyte system" is based on similarities in the morphology, function, origin, and kinetics of the phagocytes. By these criteria reticular cells, dendritic cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts (fibrocytes) are excluded. The proponents point out that as new knowledge is acquired modifications may have to be made, certain cells being added to or removed from the new classification.
过去曾有许多尝试对吞噬性单核细胞进行分类，并界定它们被认为所构成的细胞系统，其中包括梅契尼科夫的“巨噬细胞系统”、阿绍夫的“网状内皮系统”，以及由沃尔泰拉提出并由托马斯重新引入的“网状组织细胞系统”。鉴于目前的知识水平，这些分类都不完全恰当。因此，1969年，一组研究人员对所有高度吞噬性单核细胞及其前体细胞提出了一种新的分类，即他们所称的“单核吞噬细胞系统”。这个系统包括骨髓中的前单核细胞及其前体细胞、外周血中的单核细胞以及组织中的巨噬细胞。随后与世界各地众多其他专家进行的磋商导致了该分类的一些变化，现在以修订后的形式提出。将细胞纳入“单核吞噬细胞系统”是基于吞噬细胞在形态、功能、起源和动力学方面的相似性。根据这些标准，网状细胞、树突状细胞、内皮细胞和成纤维细胞（纤维细胞）被排除在外。支持者指出，随着新知识的获得，可能需要进行修改，某些细胞可能会被添加到新分类中或从新分类中删除。
