Phagocytosis in the Brain: Homeostasis and Disease

Conclusions and Perspectives In this review we have summarized the critical role phagocytosis plays in both CNS homeostasis and disease. While much progress has been made in recent years, many unanswered questions remain. How phagocytosis in the CNS is influenced by numerous factors, such as microenvironment or phagocytic target, have yet to be fully resolved. Additionally, the utilization of novel technologies, including in vivo imaging techniques (217), iPSC-derived microglia (213) and high-throughput screens (66), will likely contribute to further identification of phagocytic pathways and consequences of phagocytosis within the CNS. As targeting myeloid cells in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases is receiving increased interest (218), drugs modulating phagocytic pathways may emerge as novel therapeutics for brain disease. Author Contributions DG and AP performed the literature search and wrote the manuscript. DO and CM oversaw preparation of the manuscript, and contributed to writing and editing of the manuscript. Funding CM is supported by grants from the Canada Research Chair program, Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the MS Society of Canada. DG is supported by a studentship from the MS Society of Canada. AP is supported by a grant from the Medical Research Council. Conflict of Interest Statement The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a poten...
Source: Frontiers in Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research