title: Microglial cells are a component of the perivascular glia limitans.
abstract: The ultrastructural relation between microglial cells and cerebral blood vessels was studied in rat brains by immune electron microscopy using antibodies against the common leukocyte antigen (Ox1), the complement receptor 3 (Ox42), and against class I and class II histocompatibility antigens (MHC antigens; Ox3, Ox6, Ox18, and I1-69). Microglial cell processes were found incorporated between the astrocytic foot processes of the glia limitans in 4-13% of cerebral microvessels. After intravenous injection of gamma-interferon, either alone or in combination with tumor necrosis factor, these microglial cell processes expressed classes I and II MHC antigens. Studies in (Lewis X DA)F1-DA bone marrow chimeras demonstrated that these cell processes belonged to resident microglia. This study suggests that microglial cells may play an important role in antigen recognition at the blood-brain barrier.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lassmann
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zimprich
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vass
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Hickey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D002678:Chimera / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens