TY - JOUR
T1 - Tools for studying human microglia
T2 - In vitro and in vivo strategies
AU - Warden, Anna S.
AU - Han, Claudia
AU - Hansen, Emily
AU - Trescott, Samantha
AU - Nguyen, Celina
AU - Kim, Roy
AU - Schafer, Danielle
AU - Johnson, Avalon
AU - Wright, Madison
AU - Ramirez, Gabriela
AU - Lopez-Sanchez, Mark
AU - Coufal, Nicole G.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors
PY - 2023/1
Y1 - 2023/1
N2 - Microglia may only represent 10% of central nervous system (CNS) cells but they perform critical roles in development, homeostasis and neurological disease. Microglia are also environmentally regulated, quickly losing their transcriptomic and epigenetic signature after leaving the CNS. This facet of microglia biology is both fascinating and technically challenging influencing the study of the genetics and function of human microglia in a manner that recapitulates the CNS environment. In this review we provide a comprehensive overview of existing in vitro and in vivo methodology to study human microglia, such as immortalized cells lines, stem cell-derived microglia, cerebral organoids and xenotransplantation. Since there is currently no single method that completely recapitulates all hallmarks of human ex vivo adult homeostatic microglia, we also discuss the advantages and limitations of each existing model as a practical guide for researchers.
AB - Microglia may only represent 10% of central nervous system (CNS) cells but they perform critical roles in development, homeostasis and neurological disease. Microglia are also environmentally regulated, quickly losing their transcriptomic and epigenetic signature after leaving the CNS. This facet of microglia biology is both fascinating and technically challenging influencing the study of the genetics and function of human microglia in a manner that recapitulates the CNS environment. In this review we provide a comprehensive overview of existing in vitro and in vivo methodology to study human microglia, such as immortalized cells lines, stem cell-derived microglia, cerebral organoids and xenotransplantation. Since there is currently no single method that completely recapitulates all hallmarks of human ex vivo adult homeostatic microglia, we also discuss the advantages and limitations of each existing model as a practical guide for researchers.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85141940129&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.10.008
DO - 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.10.008
M3 - Review article
C2 - 36336207
AN - SCOPUS:85141940129
SN - 0889-1591
VL - 107
SP - 369
EP - 382
JO - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
JF - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
ER -