title: Molecular mechanisms of microglial activation.
abstract: Microglial cells are brain macrophages which serve specific functions in the defense of the central nervous system (CNS) against microorganisms, the removal of tissue debris in neurodegenerative diseases or during normal development, and in autoimmune inflammatory disorders of the brain. In cultured microglial cells, several soluble inflammatory mediators such as cytokines and bacterial products like lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were demonstrated to induce a wide range of microglial activities, e.g. increased phagocytosis, chemotaxis, secretion of cytokines, activation of the respiratory burst and induction of nitric oxide synthase. Since heightened microglial activation was shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of experimental inflammatory CNS disorders, understanding the molecular mechanisms of microglial activation may lead to new treatment strategies for neurodegenerative disorders, multiple sclerosis and bacterial or viral infections of the nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zielasek
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Hartung
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000276:immunology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D003704:Dementia / Q000276:immunology; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000276:immunology; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D051379:Mice; D017628:Microglia / Q000276:immunology*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D009498:Neurotoxins; D009569:Nitric Oxide