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On place and time: microglia in embryonic and perinatal brain development
Morgane Sonia Thion1, Sonia Garel1
1Institut de biologie de l'Ecole normale supérieure (IBENS), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France.
Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|October 29, 2017
Summary
Microglia, brain immune cells, are crucial for prenatal and perinatal brain development. Understanding their early roles and regulation is vital for addressing neurodevelopmental disorders linked to inflammation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Microglia, the brain's resident macrophages, are known for their roles in postnatal and adult brain homeostasis.
- Emerging evidence highlights significant functions of microglia during embryonic and early postnatal brain development.
- Dysregulation of microglia and prenatal inflammation are implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the early-life functions of microglia in cerebral development.
- To explore the spatiotemporal distribution of microglia during development.
- To discuss the modulation of early microglial functions by intrinsic and environmental factors.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent studies on microglia in early brain development.
- Analysis of research on microglial spatiotemporal dynamics.
- Synthesis of findings on factors influencing microglial functions.
Main Results:
- Microglia exhibit critical roles beyond synapse regulation during embryogenesis and perinatal periods.
- Microglial distribution and function are precisely regulated in a time- and location-dependent manner.
- Both intrinsic cellular properties and external signals shape early microglial activities.
Conclusions:
- Microglia are essential for normal prenatal and perinatal brain development.
- Targeting early microglial functions presents potential therapeutic avenues for neurodevelopmental disorders.
- Further research into microglial modulation is needed to understand their developmental impact.
