An environment-dependent transcriptional network specifies human microglia identity

• DOI: 10.1126/science.aal3222
• Publication Date: 2017-05-25T21:00:24Z
• Authors: David Gosselin; Dylan Skola; Nicole G. Coufal; Inge R. Holtman; Johannes C. M. Sc...; Eniko Sajti; Baptiste N. Jaeger; Carolyn O’Connor; Conor Fitzpatrick; Martina P. Pasillas; Monique Pena; Amy Adair; David D. Gonda; Michael L. Levy; Richard M. Ransohoff; Fred H. Gage; Christopher K. Glass
• Keywords: Ex vivo; Human brain

Of mice and men's microglia Microglia are immune system cells that function in protecting maintaining the brain. Gosselin et al. examined epigenetics RNA transcripts from single microglial observed consistent profiles among samples despite differences age, sex, diagnosis. Mouse human demonstrated similar microglia-specific gene expression profiles, as well a shared environmental response collected either immediately after surgery (ex vivo) or culturing (in vitro). Interestingly, those genes exhibiting between humans were often implicated neurodegenerative diseases. Science , this issue p. eaal3222