Project P

The physiological role of brain microglia
Department of Neuroscience and Medical Physiology
Coordinator: Prof. Hendrikus W.G.M. Boddeke MD PhD, drs D. rai

Microglia are the resident macrophages of the central nervous system. In the brain microglia take care of homeostasis and repair. In order to perform this function microglia are continuously scanning their environment and therefore they are the first cells that recognize pathogens and cellular damage.

Microglia are ramified cells that have small processes (dendrites). These processes are highly motile and by constant movement they scan the environment of the microglia. Based on this this kind of constant motility it has been suggested that microglia are constant surveyors of brain environment. However, it is not known how the motility of microglial processes is related to neutralization of pathogens and maintenance of homeostasis.

Previously published work has suggested that pinocytic activity is closely associated with microglial motility. Pinocytosis is a process, often called cell drinking by which extracellular fluid is non-specifically taken up by cells. We hypothesize that motile microglia use pinocytosis as a mechanism to clean the extracellular environment. Using microglial cell cultures we plan to study the rate of microglial motility and pinocytosis using time lapse microscopy live imaging. We will also study the pathways involved in microglial pinocytosis using immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy. In vitro characterizations will be followed by pinocytic labeling and tracking studies in vivo using two photon microscopy. This project will help understand the physiological function of microglia in the normal brain.