Microglia
Recent articles
How to teach this paper: ‘Neurotoxic reactive astrocytes are induced by activated microglia,’ by Liddelow et al. (2017)
Shane Liddelow and his collaborators identified the factors that transform astrocytes from their helpful to harmful form. Their work is a great choice if you want to teach students about glial cell types, cell culture, gene expression or protein measurement.

How to teach this paper: ‘Neurotoxic reactive astrocytes are induced by activated microglia,’ by Liddelow et al. (2017)
Shane Liddelow and his collaborators identified the factors that transform astrocytes from their helpful to harmful form. Their work is a great choice if you want to teach students about glial cell types, cell culture, gene expression or protein measurement.
This paper changed my life: Shane Liddelow on two papers that upended astrocyte research
A game-changing cell culture method developed in Ben Barres’ lab completely transformed the way we study astrocytes and helped me build a career studying their reactive substates.

This paper changed my life: Shane Liddelow on two papers that upended astrocyte research
A game-changing cell culture method developed in Ben Barres’ lab completely transformed the way we study astrocytes and helped me build a career studying their reactive substates.
Video catches microglia in the act of synaptic pruning
Live cell imaging reveals the clearest picture yet of this elusive process. Whether it’s something these cells do regularly remains up for debate.
Video catches microglia in the act of synaptic pruning
Live cell imaging reveals the clearest picture yet of this elusive process. Whether it’s something these cells do regularly remains up for debate.
Age-related brain changes in mice strike hypothalamus ‘hot spot’
Neuronal and non-neuronal cells throughout the brain also express genes—particularly those related to neuronal structure and immune function—differently in aged mice, according to a new atlas.

Age-related brain changes in mice strike hypothalamus ‘hot spot’
Neuronal and non-neuronal cells throughout the brain also express genes—particularly those related to neuronal structure and immune function—differently in aged mice, according to a new atlas.
Spectrum 2024: Year in review
We round up our most notable autism stories of the past 12 months.

Spectrum 2024: Year in review
We round up our most notable autism stories of the past 12 months.
Microglia’s pruning function called into question
Scientists are divided over the extent to which the cells sculpt circuits during development.

Microglia’s pruning function called into question
Scientists are divided over the extent to which the cells sculpt circuits during development.
Early trajectory of Alzheimer’s tracked in single-cell brain atlases
Inflammation in glia and the loss of certain inhibitory cells may kick off a disease cascade decades before diagnosis.

Early trajectory of Alzheimer’s tracked in single-cell brain atlases
Inflammation in glia and the loss of certain inhibitory cells may kick off a disease cascade decades before diagnosis.
Brain ‘chimeroids’ reveal person-to-person differences rooted in genetics
These fusions created from multiple donors’ organoids may help scale up comparative brain research.

Brain ‘chimeroids’ reveal person-to-person differences rooted in genetics
These fusions created from multiple donors’ organoids may help scale up comparative brain research.
Giant analysis reveals how autism-linked genes affect brain cell types
Genes that predispose people to autism account for a large portion of the neuronal and glial cell changes seen in those with the condition.

Giant analysis reveals how autism-linked genes affect brain cell types
Genes that predispose people to autism account for a large portion of the neuronal and glial cell changes seen in those with the condition.
Where do cell states end and cell types begin?
High-throughput transcriptomics offers powerful new methods for defining different types of brain cells. But we need to think more explicitly about how we use these data to distinguish a cell’s permanent identity from its transient states.

Where do cell states end and cell types begin?
High-throughput transcriptomics offers powerful new methods for defining different types of brain cells. But we need to think more explicitly about how we use these data to distinguish a cell’s permanent identity from its transient states.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Authors retract Science paper on controversial fMRI method
Several known but usually negligible MRI artifacts contribute to the neuronal activity signal picked up by the method, according to a preprint the authors posted earlier this month.

Authors retract Science paper on controversial fMRI method
Several known but usually negligible MRI artifacts contribute to the neuronal activity signal picked up by the method, according to a preprint the authors posted earlier this month.
In memoriam: Stephanie “Steve” Shirley, autism philanthropist
Fueled by business success and her son, she played an outsized role in British autism research.

In memoriam: Stephanie “Steve” Shirley, autism philanthropist
Fueled by business success and her son, she played an outsized role in British autism research.
Ann Kennedy explains the theoretical neuroscience of survival behaviors
The Scripps neuroscientist calls for a broader theoretical neuroscience approach in her area of research, which focuses on how the subcortex bridges life and cognition.
Ann Kennedy explains the theoretical neuroscience of survival behaviors
The Scripps neuroscientist calls for a broader theoretical neuroscience approach in her area of research, which focuses on how the subcortex bridges life and cognition.