Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 27, 2026
Author Spotlight: Insight Into Advances in Prion Diseases Research
Published on: August 11, 2023
Microglia-targeted stem cell therapies for Alzheimer disease: A preclinical data review
Zhiwei Shen1, Xueyuan Li1, Xinjie Bao1
1Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
Alzheimer disease (AD) is a severe, life-threatening illness characterized by gradual memory loss. The classic histological features of AD include extracellular formation of β-amyloid plaques (Aβ), intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), and synaptic loss. Recently, accumulated evidence has confirmed the critical role of microglia in the development and exacerbation of AD. When Aβ forms deposits, microglia quickly respond to restore brain physiology by activating a series of repair mechanisms. However, prolonged microglial activation is considered detrimental and may aggravate AD progression. To date, there are no curative therapies for AD. The advent of stem cell transplantation offers novel strategies to treat AD in animal models. Furthermore, studies have reported that transplanted stem cells might ameliorate AD symptoms by regulating microglial functions, from detrimental to protective. This review focuses on the crucial functions of microglia in AD and examines the reactions of microglia to transplanted stem cells.
Insights
Alzheimer disease (AD) involves memory loss and brain changes. Stem cell therapy shows promise for AD by regulating microglia, potentially shifting them from harmful to helpful roles in the brain.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Alzheimer disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder marked by memory loss, amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and synaptic loss.
- Microglia, the brain's immune cells, play a dual role in AD, initially protective but detrimental with prolonged activation.
- Current AD treatments lack curative options, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the critical functions of microglia in Alzheimer disease pathogenesis.
- To examine the impact of transplanted stem cells on microglial behavior in AD.
- To explore stem cell therapy as a potential treatment for AD by modulating microglial responses.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on microglial roles in AD.
- Analysis of studies investigating stem cell transplantation in AD models.
- Examination of research on stem cell-mediated regulation of microglial activation.
Main Results:
- Microglia are central to AD development and progression, with prolonged activation being detrimental.
- Stem cell transplantation has demonstrated potential in ameliorating AD symptoms in animal models.
- Transplanted stem cells may exert therapeutic effects by shifting microglia from a detrimental to a protective phenotype.
Conclusions:
- Microglia are key players in Alzheimer disease, influencing its progression.
- Stem cell transplantation represents a promising therapeutic avenue for AD.
- Modulating microglial function via stem cells offers a novel strategy to combat AD.
More Related Videos
06:14Novel Passive Clearing Methods for the Rapid Production of Optical Transparency in Whole CNS Tissue
Published on: May 8, 2018
11:19Human Microglia-like Cells: Differentiation from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and In Vitro Live-cell Phagocytosis Assay using Human Synaptosomes
Published on: August 18, 2022
