Non-invasive in vivo imaging of brain and retinal microglia in neurodegenerative diseases
Fazeleh Etebar1,2, Damien G Harkin3, Anthony R White2
1Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Abstract:
Microglia play crucial roles in immune responses and contribute to fundamental biological processes within the central nervous system (CNS). In neurodegenerative diseases, microglia undergo functional changes and can have both protective and pathogenic roles. Microglia in the retina, as an extension of the CNS, have also been shown to be affected in many neurological diseases. While our understanding of how microglia contribute to pathological conditions is incomplete, non-invasive in vivo imaging of brain and retinal microglia in living subjects could provide valuable insights into their role in the neurodegenerative diseases and open new avenues for diagnostic biomarkers. This mini-review provides an overview of the current brain and retinal imaging tools for studying microglia in vivo. We focus on microglia targets, the advantages and limitations of in vivo microglia imaging approaches, and applications for evaluating the pathogenesis of neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis.
Insights
Non-invasive imaging of brain and retinal microglia offers insights into neurodegenerative diseases. This approach can reveal microglia
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Microglia are key immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS) and retina.
- Microglia dysfunction is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis.
- Understanding microglia's role requires in vivo study.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current in vivo imaging tools for brain and retinal microglia.
- To discuss microglia targets and imaging approach limitations.
- To explore applications in neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Review of in vivo imaging techniques for microglia.
- Analysis of microglia targets for imaging.
- Discussion of advantages and limitations of current methods.
Main Results:
- Overview of available in vivo imaging tools for microglia.
- Identification of key targets for microglia imaging.
- Assessment of the pros and cons of different imaging modalities.
Conclusions:
- In vivo imaging of microglia is crucial for understanding neurodegeneration.
- This technology holds potential for developing diagnostic biomarkers.
- Further research can elucidate microglia's dual role in disease.
