Microglia are the resident neuroimmune cells in the brain. Under physiological conditions, they have three essential functions: 1) sentinel function, microglia are involved in continuously sensing the changes of its environment; 2) housekeeping function, microglia promote the healthy and normal operation; 3) defense function, microglia respond to environmental changes and provide neuroprotection.
However, in response to specific stimulation in neurodegenerative disorders, microglia also have the capacity to damage and kill neurons. In neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, microglia display disruption of the sentinel or housekeeping functions and dysregulation of the defense function and neuroinflammation This shift in microglia cells towards a chronically activated phenotype contributing to neuronal dysfunction and cell death is of great interest nowadays.
In this Research Topic, we are calling for original research and review articles that focus on the emerging role of microglia in brain pathologies, especially those related to neurodegeneration, which could contribute to find new pathogenesis of neurodegeneration diseases and develop new microglia-targeted therapeutical approaches.
Topics include but are not limited to:
- Microglia involved in immune responses in neurodegenerative diseases
- Microglia in the development and remodeling of the nervous system in neurodegenerative diseases
- Mechanisms underlying disease-associated microglia (DAM)
- Implication of microglia in neuron synapse loss in neurodegenerative diseases
- Loss of microglia normal functions in neurodegenerative diseases
Microglia are the resident neuroimmune cells in the brain. Under physiological conditions, they have three essential functions: 1) sentinel function, microglia are involved in continuously sensing the changes of its environment; 2) housekeeping function, microglia promote the healthy and normal operation; 3) defense function, microglia respond to environmental changes and provide neuroprotection.
However, in response to specific stimulation in neurodegenerative disorders, microglia also have the capacity to damage and kill neurons. In neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, microglia display disruption of the sentinel or housekeeping functions and dysregulation of the defense function and neuroinflammation This shift in microglia cells towards a chronically activated phenotype contributing to neuronal dysfunction and cell death is of great interest nowadays.
In this Research Topic, we are calling for original research and review articles that focus on the emerging role of microglia in brain pathologies, especially those related to neurodegeneration, which could contribute to find new pathogenesis of neurodegeneration diseases and develop new microglia-targeted therapeutical approaches.
Topics include but are not limited to:
- Microglia involved in immune responses in neurodegenerative diseases
- Microglia in the development and remodeling of the nervous system in neurodegenerative diseases
- Mechanisms underlying disease-associated microglia (DAM)
- Implication of microglia in neuron synapse loss in neurodegenerative diseases
- Loss of microglia normal functions in neurodegenerative diseases
