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Review
. 2023 Nov;20(11):1277-1289.
doi: 10.1038/s41423-023-01053-6. Epub 2023 Jun 26.

Brain macrophage development, diversity and dysregulation in health and disease

Aymeric Silvin #  1 , Jiawen Qian #  2 , Florent Ginhoux  3   4   5   6
Affiliations
Review

Brain macrophage development, diversity and dysregulation in health and disease

Aymeric Silvin et al. Cell Mol Immunol. 2023 Nov.

Abstract

Brain macrophages include microglia in the parenchyma, border-associated macrophages in the meningeal-choroid plexus-perivascular space, and monocyte-derived macrophages that infiltrate the brain under various disease conditions. The vast heterogeneity of these cells has been elucidated over the last decade using revolutionary multiomics technologies. As such, we can now start to define these various macrophage populations according to their ontogeny and their diverse functional programs during brain development, homeostasis and disease pathogenesis. In this review, we first outline the critical roles played by brain macrophages during development and healthy aging. We then discuss how brain macrophages might undergo reprogramming and contribute to neurodegenerative disorders, autoimmune diseases, and glioma. Finally, we speculate about the most recent and ongoing discoveries that are prompting translational attempts to leverage brain macrophages as prognostic markers or therapeutic targets for diseases that affect the brain.

Keywords: Brain; Inflammation; Macrophages; Meninges; Microglia.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Classification of brain macrophages in health and disease
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Macrophage heterogeneity during brain embryonic development and specific gene signatures
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Neurodegenerative diseases that arise due to deterioration of barriers (gut and BBB) to inflammaging could impact brain macrophage populations that range from BAMs to microglia or monocyte-derived macrophages
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Disease-associated macrophage programs and their common versus specific gene signatures
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Distribution of microglia and monocyte-derived macrophages in glioma
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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