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
. 2013 Sep;12(6):785-98.
doi: 10.2174/18715273113126660169.

Consequences of iron accumulation in microglia and its implications in neuropathological conditions

Affiliations
Review

Consequences of iron accumulation in microglia and its implications in neuropathological conditions

Gurugirijha Rathnasamy et al. CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets. 2013 Sep.

Abstract

Iron is a vital element required by almost all cells for their normal functioning. The well-established role of iron in oxidative metabolism, myelination and synthesis of neurotransmitter makes it an indispensable nutrient required by the brain. Both iron deficiency and excess have been associated with numerous patho-physiologies of the brain, suggesting a need for iron homeostasis. Various studies have reported that the immune effector cells of the brain, the microglial cells, are involved in iron homeostasis in the brain. Microglial cells, which accumulate iron during the developmental period, have a role in myelination process. Along with the increased iron accumulation documented in neurodegenerative diseases, the striking finding is the presence of iron positive microglial cells at the foci of lesion. Though excess iron within activated microglia is demonstrated to enhance the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and free radicals, a complete understanding of the role of iron in microglia is lacking. The present knowledge on iron mediated changes, in the functions of microglia is summarized in this review.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

Cited by

LinkOut - more resources