Microglia: unique and common features with other tissue macrophages

21.03.2014

Prinz M, Tay TL, Wolf Y, Jung S.

Acta Neuropathol. 2014;128(3):319-31

Acta Neuropathol.        online article

Microglia are highly specialized tissue macrophages of the brain with dedicated functions in neuronal development, homeostasis and recovery from pathology. Despite their unique localization in the central nervous system (CNS) microglia are ontogenetically and functionally related to their peripheral counterparts of the mononuclear phagocytic system in the body, namely tissue macrophages and circulating myeloid cells. Here we discuss new aspects of myeloid cell biology in general with special emphasis on the brain-resident macrophages and microglia.