This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
To learn more about our privacy policy Click hereMicroglia are cells of mesodermal/mesenchymal origin that migrate into the CNS to become resident macrophages within the unique brain microenvironment. Microglia are highly dynamic cells that interact with neurons and nonneuronal cells.
Microglia express a wide array of receptors and thus respond to pleiotropic stimuli ranging from neurotransmitters to cytokines and plasma proteins. They play a crucial role in the healthy brain as regulators of synaptic functions and phagocytosis of newborn neurons, with important implications in synaptic plasticity and adult neurogenesis. In disease, they play a crucial role in neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory conditions. Their interactions with T cells are a major component of the development of brain autoimmunity, while their pathogenic interactions with neurons via induction of ROS and iNOS play a crucial role in neurodegeneration.