Brain-engrafted monocyte-derived macrophages from blood and skull-bone marrow exhibit distinct properties

Microglia arise from yolk sac progenitors and are thought to persist throughout life with minimal input from adult hematopoiesis. However, whether brain-engrafted monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) exist at homeostasis and during turnover and how they function relative to yolk-sac-derived microglia (YSMs) remain unsettled. Here, we combine lineage tracing, pharmacological microglia depletion, and multi-omics profiling to define the ontogeny, identity, and function of brain parenchymal macrophages. Despite sharing the parenchymal milieu, MDMs display transcriptional and epigenetic landscapes distinct from YSMs. Fate-mapping reveals that brain-engrafted MDMs transiently express CD206, echoing a developmental stage of microglial precursors. MDM engraftment and polarization are modulated by interleukin (IL)-34 and C-C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2). Furthermore, parabiosis and skull-flap transplantation reveal that both blood and skull marrow supply the niche, yielding origin-biased MDM states. Functionally, MDM engraftment enhances cuprizone-mediated demyelination. Together, our study defines the origins, molecular features, and context-dependent roles of brain parenchymal macrophages across homeostasis, turnover, and central nervous system (CNS) pathology.