Emerging Roles of Microglia in Neuro-vascular Unit: Implications of Microglia-Neurons Interactions

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neuroimmunology
• Cellular Biology

Background:

• Microglia are key immune cells in the central nervous system, activated in neurological diseases.
• Emerging research highlights microglia-neuron communication and its impact on synaptic plasticity.
• The scope of study has broadened to include the neurovascular unit (NVU) for understanding neurovascular coupling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the functional roles of microglia in synapses, neuroimmune communication, and neuronal activity.
• To review bidirectional control mechanisms between neurons and microglia.
• To highlight the multifunctional roles of microglia in neural communication networks.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent studies on microglia-neuron interactions.
• Focus on purinergic signaling pathways, including ATP-P2RY12R, ATP-adenosine-A1Rs/A2Aின்றன, and ATP-pannexin 1 hemichannel.
• Examination of microglia's contribution to the neurovascular unit.

Main Results:

• Microglia actively shape neuronal feedback through molecular signaling.
• Neuronal activity and plasticity influence microglia via released signals.
• Purinergic systems (ATP-P2RY12R, ATP-adenosine-A1Rs/A2Aின்றன, pannexin 1) are crucial in microglia-neuron communication.

Conclusions:

• Microglia play multifaceted roles in neural communication, impacting brain health and disease.
• Understanding microglia-neuron communication is vital for neurovascular coupling mechanisms.
• Bidirectional signaling via purinergic systems offers therapeutic targets for neurological disorders.