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Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Analysis of Microglia and Monocyte-derived Macrophages from the Central Nervous System by Flow Cytometry
10:43

Analysis of Microglia and Monocyte-derived Macrophages from the Central Nervous System by Flow Cytometry

Published on: June 22, 2017

23.9K

Brain-Engrafted Monocyte-derived Macrophages from Blood and Skull-Bone Marrow Exhibit Distinct Identities from

Siling Du, Antoine Drieu, Yumeng Cheng

    Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
    |August 30, 2024
    PubMed

    Insights

    Monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) can enter the brain parenchyma, exhibiting unique transcriptional signatures and contributing to microglia repopulation. This challenges the notion of microglia

    Area of Science:

    • Neuroimmunology
    • Hematopoiesis
    • Cellular Dynamics

    Background:

    • Microglia were traditionally believed to originate solely from yolk sac (YS) progenitors and remain largely unchanged throughout life.
    • The contribution of definitive hematopoiesis, particularly monocytes, to the brain's macrophage population was poorly understood.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the presence, characteristics, and origins of monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) in the brain parenchyma.
    • To define the transcriptional signatures of brain-engrafted MDMs and understand their dynamics during microglia repopulation.

    Main Methods:

    • Lineage tracing mouse models to track cell origins.
    • Pharmacological manipulation to study repopulation dynamics.
    • RNA-sequencing to define transcriptional signatures.
    • Parabiosis and skull transplantation experiments.

    Main Results:

    • Monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) were identified in the brain parenchyma at baseline and during repopulation.
    • Brain-engrafted MDMs share transcriptional and epigenetic similarities with meningeal macrophages, suggesting environmental imprinting.
    • Both peripheral blood monocytes and skull bone marrow monocytes can repopulate microglia-depleted brains.

    Conclusions:

    • The brain parenchyma harbors heterogeneous macrophage populations with diverse origins, including monocytes.
    • Microglia depletion can be repopulated by monocytes, challenging the exclusive yolk sac origin model.
    • Understanding these cellular dynamics is crucial for neuroimmunological research and therapeutic strategies.

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