Retinal cell elimination by microglia

项目摘要 小胶质细胞是中枢神经系统的常驻神经免疫细胞，在发育过程中起着重要的作用。在胚胎 我们的研究表明，视网膜小胶质细胞靶向存活的新生儿视网膜神经节细胞（RGC）的一个子集 通过一个需要补体信号传导的过程进行吞噬消除。胚胎视网膜是一种 一个简单的系统来解决小胶质细胞如何靶向非凋亡细胞的吞噬作用，具有重要意义 小胶质细胞在损伤和疾病中的作用。了解视网膜细胞的机制 消除，第一个目标将解决补体表达和应激途径在RGC中的作用。的 第二个目标是测试吞噬视网膜细胞消除所需的特定小胶质细胞识别途径， 包括RGC和星形胶质细胞。这项研究将揭示小胶质细胞如何影响发育 视网膜重塑，并可能最终告知我们的理解如何小胶质细胞参与视网膜 导致视力丧失的疾病过程。

PROJECT SUMMARY Microglia, the resident neuroimmune cells of the CNS, play important developmental roles. During embryonic development we showed that retinal microglia target a subset of viable newborn retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) for phagocytic elimination through a process that requires complement signaling. The embryonic retina is a simple system to address how microglia target non-apoptotic cells for phagocytosis, with important implications for the role of microglia in cell loss during injury and disease. To understand the mechanisms of retinal cell elimination, the first aim will address the role of complement expression and stress pathways in RGCs. The second aim will test specific microglial recognition pathways required for phagocytic retinal cell elimination, including RGCs and astrocytes. This study will shed light on how microglia influence developmental remodeling in the retina, and may ultimately inform our understanding of how microglia participate in retinal disease processes resulting in loss of vision.