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Microglia Reactivity: Heterogeneous Pathological Phenotypes

Hélène Hirbec1, François Rassendren2, Etienne Audinat3

  • 1IGF, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France. helene.hirbec@igf.cnrs.fr.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|August 9, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Microglia, the brain's immune cells, exhibit dynamic plasticity, challenging the old "resting" vs. "activated" model. Recent advances reveal their versatile reactivity in both health and disease.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Pío del Río-Hortega first described microglia's dynamic capabilities a century ago.
  • Classical models viewed microglia as either "resting" or "activated."
  • Recent technological advancements have enabled deeper investigation into microglial behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the methods and findings that have uncovered microglial dynamics.
  • To highlight the plasticity and versatility of microglial reactivity.
  • To update the understanding of microglial function in the central nervous system (CNS).

Main Methods:

  • Development of new transgenic animal models.
  • Advanced molecular and functional analysis techniques.
  • In situ phenotyping of microglia.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated the real-time plasticity of microglia.
  • Challenged and superseded the classical two-state model of microglia.
  • Revealed the exquisite reactivity of microglia to CNS changes.

Conclusions:

  • Microglia possess remarkable dynamic and plastic capabilities.
  • Microglial function is highly versatile and reactive in both physiological and pathological CNS conditions.
  • Current understanding emphasizes microglial adaptability over static states.
Keywords:
Brain macrophageImmune responseInflammationMicroglial activationMicroglial reactivityNeurodegeneration

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