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Related Experiment Videos

Dynamics of microglia in the developing rat brain.

Ishar Dalmau1, José Miguel Vela, Berta González

  • 1Departmet of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, E-08193-Bellaterra, Spain.

The Journal of Comparative Neurology
|February 22, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Microglial proliferation in the developing brain significantly expands the microglial population. Apoptosis plays a minor role in establishing the final density of these crucial immune cells.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), are primarily derived from mesodermal precursors entering the brain.
  • The precise contribution of microglial precursor proliferation and apoptosis to the mature microglial population during development is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the roles of microglial proliferation and apoptosis in shaping the microglial cell population during rodent brain development.
  • To determine the temporal and spatial dynamics of microglial cell turnover from embryonic to early postnatal stages.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized Wistar rats from embryonic day 16 to postnatal day 18.
  • Employed immunohistochemistry for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) to detect proliferation.

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  • Used TUNEL assay and caspase-3 immunohistochemistry to identify apoptosis.
  • Combined these with tomato lectin histochemistry, a specific microglial marker.

    • Main Results:

    • Proliferating microglial cells were consistently observed across all studied ages and brain regions (cerebral cortex, subcortical white matter, hippocampus).
    • Microglial proliferation, indicated by PCNA expression, increased from 25-51% at embryonic day 16 to a peak of 92-99% at postnatal day 9.
    • Despite significant proliferation, microglial density remained relatively stable due to concurrent brain growth.
    • Apoptosis was detected sporadically, localized to specific cell types and regions, and represented a minor fraction of the total microglial population.

    Conclusions:

    • Microglial precursor proliferation within the developing brain is a primary mechanism for establishing the adult microglial population.
    • Microglial apoptosis occurs in a limited, stage-specific manner and is less critical for determining the final microglial cell density.