Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Restoring neuroplasticity after CNS trauma: cell therapy approaches in spinal cord and traumatic brain injury.

Journal of translational medicine·2026
Same author

Sex differences in peripheral and local immune responses following spinal cord injury.

Frontiers in immunology·2026
Same author

Advanced three-dimensional in vitro models for Parkinson's disease research.

Neural regeneration research·2026
Same author

Understanding Family Burden Associated with Pediatric Food Allergy: Contributions of Child Neophobia and Maternal Personality Traits.

Journal of clinical psychology in medical settings·2025
Same author

Plasma-treated bacterial nanocellulose-lignin composites for biomedical applications.

International journal of biological macromolecules·2025
Same author

Brain on the mend: induced mesenchymal stem cell-based therapies promote functional recovery in rats with neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

Cytotherapy·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 30, 2025

Isolation and Culture of Rodent Microglia to Promote a Dynamic Ramified Morphology in Serum-free Medium
12:00

Isolation and Culture of Rodent Microglia to Promote a Dynamic Ramified Morphology in Serum-free Medium

Published on: March 9, 2018

16.1K

The Central Nervous System Source Modulates Microglia Function and Morphology In Vitro.

Andreia G Pinho1,2, Andreia Monteiro1,2, Sara Fernandes1,2

  • 1Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|May 13, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microglia behavior in vitro depends on their origin within the central nervous system (CNS). Spinal cord microglia show higher numbers and different inflammatory gene expression compared to cortical microglia.

Keywords:
cortexin vitro studiesmicrogliamorphologyphagocytosisspinal cord

More Related Videos

Culturing Microglia from the Neonatal and Adult Central Nervous System
11:28

Culturing Microglia from the Neonatal and Adult Central Nervous System

Published on: August 9, 2013

28.1K
Rapid and Refined CD11b Magnetic Isolation of Primary Microglia with Enhanced Purity and Versatility
07:54

Rapid and Refined CD11b Magnetic Isolation of Primary Microglia with Enhanced Purity and Versatility

Published on: April 13, 2017

9.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 30, 2025

Isolation and Culture of Rodent Microglia to Promote a Dynamic Ramified Morphology in Serum-free Medium
12:00

Isolation and Culture of Rodent Microglia to Promote a Dynamic Ramified Morphology in Serum-free Medium

Published on: March 9, 2018

16.1K
Culturing Microglia from the Neonatal and Adult Central Nervous System
11:28

Culturing Microglia from the Neonatal and Adult Central Nervous System

Published on: August 9, 2013

28.1K
Rapid and Refined CD11b Magnetic Isolation of Primary Microglia with Enhanced Purity and Versatility
07:54

Rapid and Refined CD11b Magnetic Isolation of Primary Microglia with Enhanced Purity and Versatility

Published on: April 13, 2017

9.9K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Microglia exhibit regional heterogeneity across the central nervous system (CNS).
  • High-throughput techniques are revealing new insights into this heterogeneity.
  • It is unclear if spatial differences in microglia influence their behavior in vitro.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of spatial origin (cortex vs. spinal cord) on microglial behavior in vitro.
  • To compare cell numbers, function, and morphology of microglia from different CNS regions.

Main Methods:

  • Primary microglia cultures were established from the cortex and spinal cord of mice.
  • Standardized experimental protocols and culture conditions were applied to both groups.
  • Analysis included cell counts, inflammatory gene expression, phagocytosis assays, and morphological assessments.

Main Results:

  • Spinal cord-derived microglia were more numerous and exhibited distinct inflammatory gene expression.
  • Microglia from the spinal cord showed a lower phagocytosis rate under basal and activated conditions.
  • Cortical microglia displayed more complex morphology with longer ramifications, consistent with in vivo observations.

Conclusions:

  • Microglial behavior in vitro is significantly influenced by their spatial origin within the CNS.
  • Tissue-specific characteristics acquired in vivo shape the in vitro phenotype of microglia.
  • This study underscores the importance of considering the source of microglia in CNS in vitro research.