Neuroinflammation Research Center (Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute) and Mellen Center for MS Treatment and Research (Neurological Institute), Cleveland Clinic, Mail Code NC30, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
Nature. 2010 Nov 11;468(7321):253-62. doi: 10.1038/nature09615.
A microglial cell is both a glial cell of the central nervous system and a mononuclear phagocyte, which belongs to the haematopoietic system and is involved in inflammatory and immune responses. As such, microglia face a challenging task. The neurons of the central nervous system cannot divide and be replenished, and therefore need to be protected against pathogens, which is a key role of the immune system, but without collateral damage. In addition, after physical injury, neural cells need restorative support, which is provided by inflammatory responses. Excessive or chronic inflammatory responses can, however, be harmful. How microglia balance these demands, and how their behaviour can be modified to ameliorate disorders of the central nervous system, is becoming clear.
小胶质细胞既是中枢神经系统的神经胶质细胞，也是单核吞噬细胞，属于造血系统，参与炎症和免疫反应。因此，小胶质细胞面临着艰巨的任务。中枢神经系统的神经元不能分裂和补充，因此需要防止病原体的侵害，这是免疫系统的关键作用，但不能造成附带损伤。此外，在身体受伤后，神经细胞需要恢复性支持，这是由炎症反应提供的。然而，过度或慢性炎症反应可能是有害的。小胶质细胞如何平衡这些需求，以及如何改变它们的行为来改善中枢神经系统的疾病，正变得越来越清楚。
