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__NOTOC__Microglia are a type of glial cell that act as the immune cells of the Central nervous system (CNS). Microglia, the smallest of the glial cells, can act as phagocytes, cleaning up CNS debris. Most serve as representatives of the immune system in the brain.
Microglia are close cousins of other phagocytic cells including macrophages and dendritic cells. Microglia are derived from myeloid progenitor cells (as are macrophages and dendritic cells) which come from the bone marrow. During embryonic development, however, they migrate to the CNS to differentiate into microglia.
Microglia are thought to be highly mobile cells that play numerous important roles in protecting the nervous system. They are also thought to play a role in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, dementia, multiple sclerosis and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Microglia are responsible for producing an inflammatory reaction to insults (Streit et al., 2004).
Glia
The three types of CNS supporting cells are Astrocytes, Oligodendrocytes, and microglia. Glial cells provide support and protection for neurons, the other main type of cell in the central nervous system. They are thus known as the "glue" of the nervous system. The four main functions of glial cells are to surround neurons and hold them in place, to supply nutrients and oxygen to neurons, to insulate one neuron from another, and to destroy and remove dead neurons.
History
Babes described activation of microglia in a rabies case in 1897, but did not know what the clusters of microglia he saw were (Streit et al., 2004). Franz Nissl and F. Robertson first described microglial cells, and Pio del Rio-Hortega, a student of Santiago Ramón y Cajal, first called the cells "microglia" around 1920 *. Cell staining techniques in the 1980s showed that microglia are related to macrophages.
References
- Wolfgang J Streit, Robert E Mrak, and W Sue T Griffin. Microglia and neuroinflammation: a pathological perspective. Journal of Neuroinflammation 2004, Volume 1 Number 14
External links
- The ameliorative properties of 3-Hydroxyl-3methylglutaryl-Coenzyme A Reductase inhibitors on the Nitric Oxide production of microglial cells: an Alzheimer's model
- Diane Chubak, Carl W.F. Bird, Jonathan Jay Stone, Jash Bansal, Jonathan Cantalino, Morgan Greenfield, Jennifer Lee, Christina Long, Darius Rackus, Karen Sun, Sam Tarakajian, Roxinne Templonuevo, Chris Thompson, Kathy Zhou.
"Microglia"