Generation of a microglial developmental index in mice and in humans reveals a sex difference in maturation and immune reactivity.

ABSTRACT: Evidence suggests many neurological disorders emerge when normal neurodevelopmental trajectories are disrupted, i.e., when circuits or cells do not reach their fully mature state. Microglia play a critical role in normal neurodevelopment and are hypothesized to contribute to brain disease. We used whole transcriptome profiling with Next Generation sequencing of purified developing microglia to identify a microglial developmental gene expression program involving thousands of genes whose expression levels change monotonically (up or down) across development. Importantly, the gene expression program was delayed in males relative to females and exposure of adult male mice to LPS, a potent immune activator, accelerated microglial development in males. Next, a microglial developmental index (MD

SUBMITTER: Hanamsagar R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5540146 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature