Evaluating Microglial Contributions to the Neurovascular Unit in Health and Neurodegeneration Using Human <i>In Vitro</i> Models.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Microglia are emerging as critical regulators of neurovascular function in health and Alzheimer's disease (AD), yet their interactions with the human neurovascular unit (NVU), particularly brain endothelial cells, remain incompletely understood. Current in vitro NVU platforms typically exclude microglia and lack perfusable vascular networks with physiologically relevant architecture. Here, we established complementary two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) NVU models to investigate microglia-endothelial and microglia-neurovascular interactions.

Methods

Human induced pluripotent stem cell derived-neurons (iNs), astrocytes (iAs), and microglia-like cells (iMGLs) were incorporated into a soft-lithography based engineered microvessel system to establis

SUBMITTER: Evitts K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12776093 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature