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Review
. 2024 Jan 20;25(2):1281.
doi: 10.3390/ijms25021281.

Developmental Associations between Neurovascularization and Microglia Colonization

G Jean Harry  1
Affiliations
Review

Developmental Associations between Neurovascularization and Microglia Colonization

G Jean Harry. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

The temporal and spatial pattern of microglia colonization and vascular infiltration of the nervous system implies critical associated roles in early stages of nervous system development. Adding to existing reviews that cover a broad spectrum of the various roles of microglia during brain development, the current review will focus on the developmental ontogeny and interdependency between the colonization of the nervous system with yolk sac derived macrophages and vascularization. Gaining a better understanding of the timing and the interdependency of these two processes will significantly contribute to the interpretation of data generated regarding alterations in either process during early development. Additionally, such knowledge should provide a framework for understanding the influence of the early gestational environmental and the impact of genetics, disease, disorders, or exposures on the early developing nervous system and the potential for long-term and life-time effects.

Keywords: development; microglia colonization; tissue resident macrophages; vascularization; yolk sac.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author declares no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Representative con-focal microscopy(40x/1.3 na oil objective; total mag 400x at a resolution of 0.26 μm) images of Iba-1+ microglia in contact with vasculature of the male Sprague-Dawley adult rat cortex. Immunofluorescent staining was conducted on 30 micron sections of 4% paraformaldehyde fixed brains (FD Neurotechnologies, Columbia, MD, USA). (A) Image of Iba-1+ microglia (green) adjacent to the vasculature (flat, elongated endothelial cells (DAPI—blue)). (scale bar 20 μm) (B,C) At higher magnification the two distinct types of morphology for microglia in contact with vasculature are presented. Scale bar 5 μm. (B) An elongated microglia cell body and processes along the vasculature or (C) microglia with processes that contact the vasculature and extend processes into the parenchyma for contact with neurons. Red fluorescence represents GFAP+ astrocytes. Images were collected as part of an ongoing research effort in the author’s laboratory and are only included as a visualization of the two types of microglia morphologies along the vasculature.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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