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Chemotaxis by a CNS macrophage, the microglia.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Yao, J; Harvath, L; Gilbert, DL; Colton, CA
Published in: J Neurosci Res
September 1990

Microglia demonstrate many characteristics similar to those seen in monocytes and tissue-specific macrophages, including phagocytosis, production of oxygen radicals, and growth factors and expression of MHC antigens. We have examined the ability of microglia, cultured from the cerebral cortices of neonatal rats, to demonstrate another important functional characteristic of monocytic-derived cells, that is, chemotaxis. Our results show that cultured rat microglia demonstrate chemotaxis to complement dependent chemoattractants such as recombinant C5a, zymosan activated serum, and to rat serum as well as to transforming growth factor-beta, a chemoattractant produced by platelets. Microglia fail to migrate to bacterial dependent chemoattractants such as the N-formyl peptides. The failure to respond is not dependent on maturational state of the microglia. Treatment with DMSO or casein, agents known to induce morphological and functional changes in cultured microglia reminescent of a "resting" and an "activated" macrophage, respectively, do not alter the response to fMet-Leu-Phe. In addition, the chemotactic response to serum in DMSO or casein-treated cells is the same as the response seen in untreated day 10 cultured microglia or untreated age-matched controls. The ability of microglia to migrate in response to inflammatory mediators suggests that these cells can move to sites of injury, thereby enabling them to participate in an inflammatory response.

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Published In

J Neurosci Res

DOI

ISSN

0360-4012

Publication Date

September 1990

Volume

27

Issue

1

Start / End Page

36 / 42

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Rats
  • Phagocytes
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Neuroglia
  • N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine
  • Dimethyl Sulfoxide
  • Complement C5a
  • Chemotaxis
  • Chemotactic Factors
 

Citation

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Yao, J., Harvath, L., Gilbert, D. L., & Colton, C. A. (1990). Chemotaxis by a CNS macrophage, the microglia. J Neurosci Res, 27(1), 36–42. https://doi.org/10.1002/jnr.490270106
Yao, J., L. Harvath, D. L. Gilbert, and C. A. Colton. “Chemotaxis by a CNS macrophage, the microglia.J Neurosci Res 27, no. 1 (September 1990): 36–42. https://doi.org/10.1002/jnr.490270106.
Yao J, Harvath L, Gilbert DL, Colton CA. Chemotaxis by a CNS macrophage, the microglia. J Neurosci Res. 1990 Sep;27(1):36–42.
Yao, J., et al. “Chemotaxis by a CNS macrophage, the microglia.J Neurosci Res, vol. 27, no. 1, Sept. 1990, pp. 36–42. Pubmed, doi:10.1002/jnr.490270106.
Yao J, Harvath L, Gilbert DL, Colton CA. Chemotaxis by a CNS macrophage, the microglia. J Neurosci Res. 1990 Sep;27(1):36–42.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Neurosci Res

DOI

ISSN

0360-4012

Publication Date

September 1990

Volume

27

Issue

1

Start / End Page

36 / 42

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Rats
  • Phagocytes
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Neuroglia
  • N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine
  • Dimethyl Sulfoxide
  • Complement C5a
  • Chemotaxis
  • Chemotactic Factors