Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
Cerebellum. 2024 Dec;23(6):2511-2537. doi: 10.1007/s12311-023-01624-3. Epub 2023 Nov 10.
The recognition that there is an innate immune system of the brain, referred to as the neuroimmune system, that preforms many functions comparable to that of the peripheral immune system is a relatively new concept and much is yet to be learned. The main cellular components of the neuroimmune system are the glial cells of the brain, primarily microglia and astrocytes. These cell types preform many functions through secretion of signaling factors initially known as immune factors but referred to as neuroimmune factors when produced by cells of the brain. The immune functions of glial cells play critical roles in the healthy brain to maintain homeostasis that is essential for normal brain function, to establish cytoarchitecture of the brain during development, and, in pathological conditions, to minimize the detrimental effects of disease and injury and promote repair of brain structure and function. However, dysregulation of this system can occur resulting in actions that exacerbate or perpetuate the detrimental effects of disease or injury. The neuroimmune system extends throughout all brain regions, but attention to the cerebellar system has lagged that of other brain regions and information is limited on this topic. This article is meant to provide a brief introduction to the cellular and molecular components of the brain immune system, its functions, and what is known about its role in the cerebellum. The majority of this information comes from studies of animal models and pathological conditions, where upregulation of the system facilitates investigation of its actions.
人们认识到，大脑存在一个先天免疫系统，称为神经免疫系统，它具有许多与外周免疫系统相当的功能，这是一个相对较新的概念，还有很多需要了解。神经免疫系统的主要细胞成分是大脑的神经胶质细胞，主要是小胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞。这些细胞类型通过分泌最初被称为免疫因子的信号因子来发挥多种功能，但当它们由大脑细胞产生时，就被称为神经免疫因子。神经胶质细胞的免疫功能在健康的大脑中起着至关重要的作用，以维持正常的大脑功能所必需的体内平衡，在发育过程中建立大脑的细胞结构，并在病理条件下，尽量减少疾病和损伤的有害影响，并促进大脑结构和功能的修复。然而，这个系统可能会失调，导致其作用加剧或延续疾病或损伤的有害影响。神经免疫系统遍布所有大脑区域，但对小脑系统的关注落后于其他大脑区域，关于这个主题的信息有限。本文旨在简要介绍大脑免疫系统的细胞和分子成分、其功能，以及已知的其在小脑中的作用。这些信息主要来自动物模型和病理条件的研究，在这些研究中，系统的上调有助于研究其作用。
