TY - JOUR
T1 - Synaptic pruning by microglia is necessary for normal brain development
AU - Paolicelli, Rosa C.
AU - Bolasco, Giulia
AU - Pagani, Francesca
AU - Maggi, Laura
AU - Scianni, Maria
AU - Panzanelli, Patrizia
AU - Giustetto, Maurizio
AU - Ferreira, Tiago Alves
AU - Guiducci, Eva
AU - Dumas, Laura
AU - Ragozzino, Davide
AU - Gross, Cornelius T.
PY - 2011/9/9
Y1 - 2011/9/9
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=80052633284&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1126/science.1202529
DO - 10.1126/science.1202529
M3 - Article
C2 - 21778362
AN - SCOPUS:80052633284
VL - 333
SP - 1456
EP - 1458
JO - Science
JF - Science
SN - 0036-8075
IS - 6048
ER -