title: Synaptic pruning by microglia is necessary for normal brain development.
abstract: Microglia are highly motile phagocytic cells that infiltrate and take up residence in the developing brain, where they are thought to provide a surveillance and scavenging function. However, although microglia have been shown to engulf and clear damaged cellular debris after brain insult, it remains less clear what role microglia play in the uninjured brain. Here, we show that microglia actively engulf synaptic material and play a major role in synaptic pruning during postnatal development in mice. These findings link microglia surveillance to synaptic maturation and suggest that deficits in microglia function may contribute to synaptic abnormalities seen in some neurodevelopmental disorders.
authors.affiliation: Mouse Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Via Ramarini 32, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Paolicelli
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bolasco
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pagani
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scianni
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panzanelli
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giustetto
authors.forename: Tiago Alves
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guiducci
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dumas
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ragozzino
authors.forename: Cornelius T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Gross
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D000073883:CX3C Chemokine Receptor 1; D054428:Chemokine CX3CL1 / Q000378:metabolism; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000076122:Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials; D051528:Guanylate Kinases / Q000032:analysis; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D036881:Long-Term Synaptic Depression; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D017628:Microglia / Q000502:physiology*; D055369:Miniature Postsynaptic Potentials; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000502:physiology; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015728:Receptors, HIV / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*; D050825:Synaptosomal-Associated Protein 25 / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000073883:CX3C Chemokine Receptor 1; D054428:Chemokine CX3CL1; C515539:Cx3cl1 protein, mouse; C471885:Cx3cr1 protein, mouse; D000076122:Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein; C501447:Dlg4 protein, mouse; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine; D015728:Receptors, HIV; C494209:Snap25 protein, mouse; D050825:Synaptosomal-Associated Protein 25; D051528:Guanylate Kinases