![Research published in this week’s Nature Communications by a team of researchers at Lund University, Sweden, has successfully identified a variation in the structure of […]](/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/NEWSICON2-620x300.png "Genetic manipulation allows for the visualisation of microglia")
Research published in this week’s Nature Communications by a team of researchers at Lund University, Sweden, has successfully identified a variation in the structure of the brain’s microglial cells, facilitating their future study.
Microglia are the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, providing the first line of defence against pathogens and brain injuries, although their precise role in health and disease has remained elusive. Group leader, Johan Jakobsson, said “At present, researchers know very little about exactly how microglia work. At the same time, there is a lot of curiosity and high hopes among brain researchers that greater understanding of microglia could lead to entirely new drug development strategies for various brain diseases.”
The research group has targeted microglilal cells using a genetic approach, in which mice were manipulated into expressing a small molecule, known as microRNA-9, in all cells except the microglia. The mice were then infected with a modified virus that specifically targets cells that have the structural features of microglia, and do not express microRNA-9. This induces the expression of a fluorescent protein that c0-localises to a marker found on microglial surface membranes.
This technique allows for the ability to distinguish between individual microglia, and monitor their function over time in the brains of rodents. The ability to visualise microglia through this approach, paves the way for future research studying the role of the cells in various neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s and stroke, where microglia are thought to play an important role.
