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Updated: Jul 8, 2025
Characterization and Isolation of Mouse Primary Microglia by Density Gradient Centrifugation
Published on: February 16, 2018
Microglia dynamic response and phenotype heterogeneity in neural regeneration following hypoxic-ischemic brain injury
Hongxin Quan1,2, Runrui Zhang1,2
1State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Abstract:
Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury poses a significant threat to the neural niche within the central nervous system. In response to this pathological process, microglia, as innate immune cells in the central nervous system, undergo rapid morphological, molecular and functional changes. Here, we comprehensively review these dynamic changes in microglial response to hypoxic-ischemic brain injury under pathological conditions, including stroke, chronic intermittent hypoxia and neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. We focus on the regulation of signaling pathways under hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and further describe the process of microenvironment remodeling and neural tissue regeneration mediated by microglia after hypoxic-ischemic injury.
Insights
Microglia, the brain's immune cells, dynamically change in response to hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. This review details their role in neural repair and regeneration following conditions like stroke.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Pathology
Background:
- Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI) severely impacts the central nervous system's neural niche.
- Microglia, the resident innate immune cells of the CNS, are crucial in HIBI response.
- Their activation involves significant morphological, molecular, and functional alterations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively review microglial dynamic changes in response to HIBI.
- To examine microglial roles in various pathological conditions including stroke, chronic intermittent hypoxia, and neonatal HIBI.
- To elucidate signaling pathways regulating microglial responses and their role in neural repair.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on microglial responses to HIBI.
- Analysis of studies detailing microglial changes in stroke, chronic intermittent hypoxia, and neonatal HIBI.
- Examination of signaling pathways and microenvironment remodeling mediated by microglia.
Main Results:
- Microglia exhibit rapid and complex changes in morphology, gene expression, and function following HIBI.
- These changes are observed across different HIBI models, including stroke and neonatal injury.
- Microglia actively participate in signaling pathway regulation, microenvironment remodeling, and promoting neural tissue regeneration.
Conclusions:
- Microglial responses are central to the pathophysiology and recovery from HIBI.
- Understanding these dynamic changes is key to developing therapeutic strategies targeting neural repair.
- Microglia play a dual role, contributing to both injury and regeneration processes post-HIBI.
