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In Vivo Dynamics of Retinal Microglial Activation During Neurodegeneration: Confocal Ophthalmoscopic Imaging and Cell Morphometry in Mouse Glaucoma
Published on: May 11, 2015
Monitoring in vivo function of cortical microglia
Bianca Brawek1, Olga Garaschuk1
1Institute of Physiology, Department of Neurophysiology, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Keplerstraße 15, 72074 Tübingen, Germany.
Abstract:
Microglia, the innate immune cells of the brain, are becoming increasingly recognized as an important player both in the context of physiological brain function and brain pathology. To fulfill their executive functions microglia can modify their morphology, migrate or move their processes in a directed fashion, and modify the intracellular Ca2+ dynamics leading to modifications in gene expression, phagocytosis, release of cytokines and other inflammation markers, etc. Here we describe the recently developed tools enabling in vivo monitoring of morphology and Ca2+ signaling of microglia and show how these techniques may be used for examining microglial function in healthy and diseased brain.
Insights
Newly developed tools allow in vivo monitoring of brain microglia, the innate immune cells. These advancements aid in studying microglial function in both healthy and diseased brain states.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Microglia are the brain's innate immune cells, increasingly recognized for their roles in physiological function and pathology.
- Microglia perform executive functions by altering morphology, migration, and intracellular calcium (Ca2+) dynamics.
- These cellular activities influence gene expression, phagocytosis, and the release of inflammatory mediators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe novel tools for in vivo monitoring of microglial morphology and Ca2+ signaling.
- To demonstrate the application of these techniques in examining microglial function.
Main Methods:
- Development of advanced in vivo monitoring tools.
- Application of these tools to observe microglia in real-time.
Main Results:
- The study introduces new methodologies for observing microglia.
- These methods enable detailed analysis of microglial behavior and signaling.
Conclusions:
- The developed tools provide unprecedented insights into microglial dynamics.
- These techniques are valuable for investigating microglial roles in brain health and disease.
