Nimmerjahn Axel, Kirchhoff Frank, Helmchen Fritjof
Abteilung Zellphysiologie, Max Planck Institut für Medizinische Forschung, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Science. 2005 May 27;308(5726):1314-8. doi: 10.1126/science.1110647. Epub 2005 Apr 14.
Microglial cells represent the immune system of the mammalian brain and therefore are critically involved in various injuries and diseases. Little is known about their role in the healthy brain and their immediate reaction to brain damage. By using in vivo two-photon imaging in neocortex, we found that microglial cells are highly active in their presumed resting state, continually surveying their microenvironment with extremely motile processes and protrusions. Furthermore, blood-brain barrier disruption provoked immediate and focal activation of microglia, switching their behavior from patroling to shielding of the injured site. Microglia thus are busy and vigilant housekeepers in the adult brain.
小胶质细胞代表了哺乳动物大脑的免疫系统，因此在各种损伤和疾病中起着关键作用。关于它们在健康大脑中的作用以及对脑损伤的即时反应，我们所知甚少。通过在新皮层中使用体内双光子成像技术，我们发现小胶质细胞在其假定的静息状态下高度活跃，通过极其活跃的突起和伪足不断监测其微环境。此外，血脑屏障破坏会立即引起小胶质细胞的局部激活，使其行为从巡逻转变为对损伤部位的保护。因此，小胶质细胞是成年大脑中忙碌且警觉的守护者。
