Microglia: An Active Player in the Regulation of Synaptic Activity

Synaptic plasticity is critical for elaboration and adaptation in the developing and developed brain. It is well established that astrocytes play an important role in the maintenance of what has been dubbed “the tripartite synapse”. Increasing evidence shows that a fourth cell type, microglia, is cr...

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Main Authors: Kyungmin Ji, Jeremy Miyauchi, Stella E. Tsirka
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2013-01-01
Series:Neural Plasticity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/627325
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author Kyungmin Ji
Jeremy Miyauchi
Stella E. Tsirka
author_facet Kyungmin Ji
Jeremy Miyauchi
Stella E. Tsirka
author_sort Kyungmin Ji
collection DOAJ
description Synaptic plasticity is critical for elaboration and adaptation in the developing and developed brain. It is well established that astrocytes play an important role in the maintenance of what has been dubbed “the tripartite synapse”. Increasing evidence shows that a fourth cell type, microglia, is critical to this maintenance as well. Microglia are the resident macrophages of the central nervous system (CNS). Because of their well-characterized inflammatory functions, research has primarily focused on their innate immune properties. The role of microglia in the maintenance of synapses in development and in homeostasis is not as well defined. A number of significant findings have shed light on the critical role of microglia at the synapse. It is becoming increasingly clear that microglia play a seminal role in proper synaptic development and elimination.
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spelling doaj-art-e0958f7c135e449fbe9a4731587990812025-08-20T02:21:29ZengWileyNeural Plasticity2090-59041687-54432013-01-01201310.1155/2013/627325627325Microglia: An Active Player in the Regulation of Synaptic ActivityKyungmin Ji0Jeremy Miyauchi1Stella E. Tsirka2Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8651, USADepartment of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8651, USADepartment of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8651, USASynaptic plasticity is critical for elaboration and adaptation in the developing and developed brain. It is well established that astrocytes play an important role in the maintenance of what has been dubbed “the tripartite synapse”. Increasing evidence shows that a fourth cell type, microglia, is critical to this maintenance as well. Microglia are the resident macrophages of the central nervous system (CNS). Because of their well-characterized inflammatory functions, research has primarily focused on their innate immune properties. The role of microglia in the maintenance of synapses in development and in homeostasis is not as well defined. A number of significant findings have shed light on the critical role of microglia at the synapse. It is becoming increasingly clear that microglia play a seminal role in proper synaptic development and elimination.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/627325
spellingShingle Kyungmin Ji
Jeremy Miyauchi
Stella E. Tsirka
Microglia: An Active Player in the Regulation of Synaptic Activity
Neural Plasticity
title Microglia: An Active Player in the Regulation of Synaptic Activity
title_full Microglia: An Active Player in the Regulation of Synaptic Activity
title_fullStr Microglia: An Active Player in the Regulation of Synaptic Activity
title_full_unstemmed Microglia: An Active Player in the Regulation of Synaptic Activity
title_short Microglia: An Active Player in the Regulation of Synaptic Activity
title_sort microglia an active player in the regulation of synaptic activity
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/627325
work_keys_str_mv AT kyungminji microgliaanactiveplayerintheregulationofsynapticactivity
AT jeremymiyauchi microgliaanactiveplayerintheregulationofsynapticactivity
AT stellaetsirka microgliaanactiveplayerintheregulationofsynapticactivity