Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2018 Jun;78(6):604-617.
doi: 10.1002/dneu.22576. Epub 2018 Feb 1.

Microglial interactions with the neurovascular system in physiology and pathology

Xiaoliang Zhao  1 , Ukpong B Eyo  1   2 , Madhuvika Murugan  1   2 , Long-Jun Wu  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Microglial interactions with the neurovascular system in physiology and pathology

Xiaoliang Zhao et al. Dev Neurobiol. 2018 Jun.

Abstract

Microglia as immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS) play significant roles not only in pathology but also in physiology, such as shaping of the CNS during development and its proper maintenance in maturity. Emerging research is showing a close association between microglia and the neurovasculature that is critical for brain energy supply. In this review, we summarize the current literature on microglial interaction with the vascular system in the normal and diseased brain. First, we highlight data that indicate interesting potential involvement of microglia in developmental angiogenesis. Then we discuss the evidence for microglial participation with the vasculature in neuropathologies from brain tumors to acute injuries such as ischemic stroke to chronic neurodegenerative conditions. We conclude by suggesting future areas of research to advance the field in light of current technical progress and outstanding questions. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 78: 604-617, 2018.

Keywords: angiogenesis; microglia; neurodegeneration; neurovasculature; stroke.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Microglia and blood vessels exist in close proximity in the adult brain
Z-stack images from the somatosensory cortex of a transgenic CX3CR1-GFP+/− mouse injected with SR101 (red) to label the neurovasculature. a–b, Low magnification images of ramified microglia and blood vessels in 50 μm z-stack images. Scale bar: 50 μm. c–d, High magnification images of ramified microglia and blood vessels in 10 μm z-stack images of the corresponding boxed regions in (a) and (b). Physical contact between microglia somata and capillaries are indicated with arrows. Scale bar: 20 μm.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Schematic diagram of microglial interaction with the neurovascular system in physiology and pathology
Resting microglia, as depicted in normal condition, are characterized with ramified cellular processes and close proximity of blood vessel. Activated microglia under diseased conditions are featured with larger somata and enriched in the dysfunctional core of associated diseases. Molecules, like chemokines, cytokines & growth factors, included in interaction of microglia and neurovascular system are indicated in each panel as normal condition, brain tumor, ischemic stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Abiega O, Beccari S, Diaz-Aparicio I, Nadjar A, Laye S, Leyrolle Q, Gomez-Nicola D, Domercq M, Perez-Samartin A, Sanchez-Zafra V, Paris I, Valero J, Savage JC, Hui CW, Tremblay ME, Deudero JJ, Brewster AL, Anderson AE, Zaldumbide L, Galbarriatu L, Marinas A, Vivanco MD, Matute C, Maletic-Savatic M, Encinas JM, Sierra A. Correction: Neuronal Hyperactivity Disturbs ATP Microgradients, Impairs Microglial Motility, and Reduces Phagocytic Receptor Expression Triggering Apoptosis/Microglial Phagocytosis Uncoupling. PLoS Biol. 2016;14:e1002554. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ajami B, Bennett JL, Krieger C, McNagny KM, Rossi FM. Infiltrating monocytes trigger EAE progression, but do not contribute to the resident microglia pool. Nat Neurosci. 2011;14:1142–1149. - PubMed
    1. Ajami B, Bennett JL, Krieger C, Tetzlaff W, Rossi FM. Local self-renewal can sustain CNS microglia maintenance and function throughout adult life. Nat Neurosci. 2007;10:1538–1543. - PubMed
    1. Arnold T, Betsholtz C. Correction: The importance of microglia in the development of the vasculature in the central nervous system. Vasc Cell. 2013;5:12. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Arnoux I, Hoshiko M, Mandavy L, Avignone E, Yamamoto N, Audinat E. Adaptive phenotype of microglial cells during the normal postnatal development of the somatosensory “Barrel” cortex. Glia. 2013;61:1582–1594. - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources