Established and emerging techniques for the study of microglia: visualization, depletion, and fate mapping
The central nervous system (CNS) is an essential hub for neuronal communication. As a major component of the CNS, glial cells are vital in the maintenance and regulation of neuronal network dynamics. Research on microglia, the resident innate immune cells of the CNS, has advanced considerably in rec...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncel.2024.1317125/full |
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| author | Bianca Caroline Bobotis Bianca Caroline Bobotis Torin Halvorson Torin Halvorson Torin Halvorson Micaël Carrier Micaël Carrier Micaël Carrier Marie-Ève Tremblay Marie-Ève Tremblay Marie-Ève Tremblay Marie-Ève Tremblay |
| author_facet | Bianca Caroline Bobotis Bianca Caroline Bobotis Torin Halvorson Torin Halvorson Torin Halvorson Micaël Carrier Micaël Carrier Micaël Carrier Marie-Ève Tremblay Marie-Ève Tremblay Marie-Ève Tremblay Marie-Ève Tremblay |
| author_sort | Bianca Caroline Bobotis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The central nervous system (CNS) is an essential hub for neuronal communication. As a major component of the CNS, glial cells are vital in the maintenance and regulation of neuronal network dynamics. Research on microglia, the resident innate immune cells of the CNS, has advanced considerably in recent years, and our understanding of their diverse functions continues to grow. Microglia play critical roles in the formation and regulation of neuronal synapses, myelination, responses to injury, neurogenesis, inflammation, and many other physiological processes. In parallel with advances in microglial biology, cutting-edge techniques for the characterization of microglial properties have emerged with increasing depth and precision. Labeling tools and reporter models are important for the study of microglial morphology, ultrastructure, and dynamics, but also for microglial isolation, which is required to glean key phenotypic information through single-cell transcriptomics and other emerging approaches. Strategies for selective microglial depletion and modulation can provide novel insights into microglia-targeted treatment strategies in models of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative conditions, cancer, and autoimmunity. Finally, fate mapping has emerged as an important tool to answer fundamental questions about microglial biology, including their origin, migration, and proliferation throughout the lifetime of an organism. This review aims to provide a comprehensive discussion of these established and emerging techniques, with applications to the study of microglia in development, homeostasis, and CNS pathologies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T00:50:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-66f3fb9f88414c6595f6e02df0c2a679 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T00:50:59Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-66f3fb9f88414c6595f6e02df0c2a6792024-02-15T04:40:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience1662-51022024-02-011810.3389/fncel.2024.13171251317125Established and emerging techniques for the study of microglia: visualization, depletion, and fate mappingBianca Caroline Bobotis0Bianca Caroline Bobotis1Torin Halvorson2Torin Halvorson3Torin Halvorson4Micaël Carrier5Micaël Carrier6Micaël Carrier7Marie-Ève Tremblay8Marie-Ève Tremblay9Marie-Ève Tremblay10Marie-Ève Tremblay11Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, CanadaCentre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology, Victoria, BC, CanadaDepartment of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaDepartment of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaBritish Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, CanadaDivision of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, CanadaDépartement de Psychiatrie et de Neurosciences, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, CanadaAxe neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, CanadaDivision of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, CanadaCentre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology, Victoria, BC, CanadaAxe neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, CanadaDepartment of Molecular Medicine, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, CanadaThe central nervous system (CNS) is an essential hub for neuronal communication. As a major component of the CNS, glial cells are vital in the maintenance and regulation of neuronal network dynamics. Research on microglia, the resident innate immune cells of the CNS, has advanced considerably in recent years, and our understanding of their diverse functions continues to grow. Microglia play critical roles in the formation and regulation of neuronal synapses, myelination, responses to injury, neurogenesis, inflammation, and many other physiological processes. In parallel with advances in microglial biology, cutting-edge techniques for the characterization of microglial properties have emerged with increasing depth and precision. Labeling tools and reporter models are important for the study of microglial morphology, ultrastructure, and dynamics, but also for microglial isolation, which is required to glean key phenotypic information through single-cell transcriptomics and other emerging approaches. Strategies for selective microglial depletion and modulation can provide novel insights into microglia-targeted treatment strategies in models of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative conditions, cancer, and autoimmunity. Finally, fate mapping has emerged as an important tool to answer fundamental questions about microglial biology, including their origin, migration, and proliferation throughout the lifetime of an organism. This review aims to provide a comprehensive discussion of these established and emerging techniques, with applications to the study of microglia in development, homeostasis, and CNS pathologies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncel.2024.1317125/fullmicrogliamicroglial markersfate mappingelectron microscopypositron emission tomographyreporter genes |
| spellingShingle | Bianca Caroline Bobotis Bianca Caroline Bobotis Torin Halvorson Torin Halvorson Torin Halvorson Micaël Carrier Micaël Carrier Micaël Carrier Marie-Ève Tremblay Marie-Ève Tremblay Marie-Ève Tremblay Marie-Ève Tremblay Established and emerging techniques for the study of microglia: visualization, depletion, and fate mapping Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience microglia microglial markers fate mapping electron microscopy positron emission tomography reporter genes |
| title | Established and emerging techniques for the study of microglia: visualization, depletion, and fate mapping |
| title_full | Established and emerging techniques for the study of microglia: visualization, depletion, and fate mapping |
| title_fullStr | Established and emerging techniques for the study of microglia: visualization, depletion, and fate mapping |
| title_full_unstemmed | Established and emerging techniques for the study of microglia: visualization, depletion, and fate mapping |
| title_short | Established and emerging techniques for the study of microglia: visualization, depletion, and fate mapping |
| title_sort | established and emerging techniques for the study of microglia visualization depletion and fate mapping |
| topic | microglia microglial markers fate mapping electron microscopy positron emission tomography reporter genes |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncel.2024.1317125/full |
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