Microglial phagocytosis dysfunction in the dentate gyrus is related to local neuronal activity in a genetic model of epilepsy.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Microglial phagocytosis of apoptotic cells is an essential component of the brain regenerative response during neurodegeneration. Whereas it is very efficient in physiological conditions, it is impaired in mouse and human mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, and now we extend our studies to a model of progressive myoclonus epilepsy type 1 in mice lacking cystatin B (CSTB).

Methods

We used confocal imaging and stereology-based quantification of apoptosis and phagocytosis of the hippocampus of Cstb knockout (KO) mice, an in vitro model of phagocytosis and siRNAs to acutely reduce Cstb expression, and a virtual three-dimensional (3D) model to analyze the physical relationship between apoptosis, phagocytosis, and active hippocampal neurons.

Results

Microglial phagocyt

SUBMITTER: Sierra-Torre V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7756777 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature