Evidence for motility and pinocytosis in ramified microglia in tissue culture

doi:10.1016/0006-8993(91)91118-K

Brain Research

Volume 548, Issues 1–2, 10 May 1991, Pages 163-171

https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(91)91118-K Get rights and content

Abstract

Ramified microglial cells were investigated in primary cultures of dissociated cerebral cortical tissue from rats. The identification of these cells was confirmed through immunohistochemical staining with 7 monoclonal antibodies selective for microglia. While there was significant variation in staining intensity with different antibodies, all stained the identified ramified cells; the antibodies OX-42 and ED1 yielded the most intense immunoreactivity. Based on distinctive morphological features, the microglia could be identified in living cultures where they were monitored using time-lapse video recording. This technique revealed extremely dynamic features of cellular plasticity and motility. Ramified microglia exhibited constant and rapid alterations in the size and shape of their cell body with an associated extension and retraction of processes; concomitantly, the cells moved about in a circumscribed area. These features of plasticity and motility were unique to this cell type, and correlated with OX-42 immunostaining. The microglia also possessed a differentially high level of pinocytotic activity; this too was correlated with OX-42 staining. From the nature of their morphological plasticity and motility, high pinocytosis, and cellular distribution, it is hypothesized that the ramified microglia specifically function as a system of fluid cleansing in normal brain tissue.

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Evidence for motility and pinocytosis in ramified microglia in tissue culture

Abstract

Brain Res. Bull.

Neurosci. Lett.

J. Neurol. Sci.

Dev. Brain Res.

Neurosci. Lett.

Brain Res. Rev.

Trends Neurosci.

J. Neuroimmunol.

Trends Neurosci.

Neuroscience

Brain Research

J. Neuroimmunol.

Brain Research

J. Neuroimmunol.

J. Neuroimmunol.

Major histocompatibility complex antigen expression on rat microglia following epidural kainic acid lesions

J. Neurosci. Res.

The origin of lipid phagocytes in the central nervous system: I. The intrinsic microglia

J. Comp. Neurol.

Morphologic distinctions between oligodendrocytes and microglia cells in the rabbit cerebral cortex

Am. J. Anat.

Astrocyte-derived interleukin 3 as a growth factor for microglia cells and peritoneal macrophages

J. Immunol.