Physiological Implications of Microglia-Synapse Interactions

Methods in Molecular Biology
Hiroaki WakeJunichi Nabekura

Abstract

Microglia are the sole immune responding cells in the central nervous system. Their role as neuroimmune cells in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative and infectious diseases of the brain have been extensively studied. Upon brain disease and infection, they adopt an activated phenotype associated with the release of cytokines and neurotrophic factors and resulting in neuroprotective or neurotoxic outcomes. However, microglia are resident also in the healthy or physiological brain, but much less is known about their role(s) in the healthy brain, partly due to technical limitations regarding investigation of these highly reactive cells in the intact brain. Recent developments in molecular probes and in vivo optical imaging techniques has now helped to characterize microglia in the physiological or healthy brain. In vivo two-photon imaging of fluorescently labeled microglia have revealed that they are highly motile cells in the healthy brain, extending and retracting their processes that extend from a largely stationary cell soma. In this chapter, we briefly summarize some of the physiological functions of microglia in the uninjured brain, with a focus on interactions they have with synapses.

Citations

Dec 29, 2020·Neurochemistry International·Samuel DeurveilherKazue Semba
Jun 11, 2021·Food and Chemical Toxicology : an International Journal Published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association·Mengting ShangYuying Xue
Sep 20, 2021·Anatomical Science International·Yuki Hattori

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