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Understanding Microglia–Neuron Cross Talk: Relevance of the Microglia–Neuron Cocultures

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Microglia

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1041))

Abstract

Microglia–neuron interaction is a complex process involving a plethora of ligands and receptors. The outcome of this intricate process will depend on the prevailing signals (i.e., whether the microglial cells will produce pro-inflammatory cytokines and/or phagocyte a dying neuron or whether it will produce neurotrophic factors and support neuronal growth, among other possible scenarios).

In order to study this complex process, several tools have been developed, ranging from in vivo models (knockout and knock-in mice, conditional transgenic mice, imaging techniques) to in vitro models (microglia–neuron cocultures, transwell cell cultures). Here we describe a protocol for primary microglia–neuron coculture. this coculture allows to combine neurons and microglial cells coming from wild-type and KO mice, making this coculture a useful method to study in vitro the interaction of different sets of ligand–receptor.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank to REEM (Red Española de Esclerosis Múltiple) RD07/0060/0010, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, and Plan Nacional, SAF 2010/17501, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad for financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain

    Fernando G. Correa, Miriam Hernangómez & Carmen Guaza

  2. Universidad de Buenos Aires-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Fernando G. Correa

Authors
  1. Fernando G. Correa
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  2. Miriam Hernangómez
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  3. Carmen Guaza
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Solnavägen, Stockholm, SE-171 77, Sweden

    Bertrand Joseph

  2. , Department of Biochemistry, University of Seville, García González 2, Seville, 41012, Spain

    José Luis Venero

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Correa, F.G., Hernangómez, M., Guaza, C. (2013). Understanding Microglia–Neuron Cross Talk: Relevance of the Microglia–Neuron Cocultures. In: Joseph, B., Venero, J. (eds) Microglia. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1041. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-520-0_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-520-0_20

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-62703-519-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-62703-520-0

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