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Isolation and Culture of Rodent Microglia to Promote a Dynamic Ramified Morphology in Serum-free Medium
Published on: March 9, 2018
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Bipolar/rod-shaped microglia are proliferating microglia with distinct M1/M2 phenotypes
Wing Yip Tam1, Chi Him Eddie Ma2
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Hong Kong.
Scientific Reports
|December 3, 2014
Summary
Bipolar/rod-shaped microglia are crucial for central nervous system (CNS) repair. This study introduces a novel in vitro model to characterize these dynamic cells and their role in CNS injury recovery.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Microglia are central nervous system (CNS) immune cells involved in neuroinflammation, repair, and neurodegeneration.
- Bipolar/rod-shaped microglia observed at CNS injury sites during recovery have largely unknown cellular characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a reproducible in vitro model for enriching and characterizing bipolar/rod-shaped microglia.
- To investigate the cellular properties and dynamic behavior of bipolar/rod-shaped microglia.
Main Methods:
- Developed an in vitro culture system using scratched poly-d-lysine/laminin-coated dishes.
- Enriched and characterized bipolar/rod-shaped microglia using morphological and molecular markers.
- Induced transformation to amoeboid microglia with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and analyzed downstream signaling.
Main Results:
- Successfully generated and enriched trains of bipolar/rod-shaped microglia resembling those in injured CNS.
- These microglia exhibited high proliferation and expressed M1/M2 markers.
- LPS treatment rapidly induced transformation to amoeboid microglia, upregulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and activating Jak/Stat signaling.
Conclusions:
- The developed culture system effectively models bipolar/rod-shaped microglia dynamics.
- Bipolar/rod-shaped microglia are vital for CNS repair, and their molecular changes may offer therapeutic biomarkers.
