The Alzheimer’s risk genes at the MS4A locus have poorly described function. Rosner et al. show that MS4A4A and MS4A6A cooperate to negatively regulate the TREM2 and TYROBP risk genes and microglia activity. MS4A4A antibodies increase TREM2 and beneficial microglia functions, suggesting therapeutic potential for this axis.

Fully funded PhD at UK Dementia Research Institute UCL, London, studying astrocyte microglia crosstalk and synaptic loss in Alzheimer disease.

After spinal cord injury, lesion-remote astrocytes acquire heterogeneous, spatially restricted reactivity states that shape neuroinflammation, neural repair and neurological recovery.

Recent studies have uncovered that the calvarial bone marrow (BM), located within the skull, functions as a specialized hematopoietic niche distinct from BM in long bones. This compartment supports a ...

Pregnancy requires dynamic immune adaptations that balance tolerance, homeostasis, and defense at the maternal–fetal interface. Recent advances integrating findings from human placental samples with those from refined animal models now enable a detailed analysis of how cellular responses in mid and late gestation contribute to major obstetrical complications - with distinct clinical manifestations - such as preterm birth, fetal growth restriction, and pre-eclampsia. In this Opinion article we propose a unifying paradigm: the breakdown of maternal–fetal immune homeostasis. We highlight regulatory T cells and decidual macrophages as complementary regulators of antigen-specific tolerance and nonspecific homeostasis, whereas effector T cell infiltration in chronic placental inflammation and neutrophil-driven inflammation in acute chorioamnionitis exemplify pathological immune activation. Together, these examples illustrate how immune programs that sustain mid-to-late pregnancy, when dysregulated, drive pathology and open new therapeutic opportunities.

Microglia, the primary myeloid cells of the brain, are crucial for maintaining brain homeostasis and are implicated in various neuropathological processes. Microglial identity and function are determi...

Single-cell transcriptomics resolves mononuclear phagocyte diversity in the human intestine in health and inflammatory bowel disease.

While microglial activation is a hallmark in neurodegeneration, the specific role of microglia in disease-related cortical excitability remains unknown. Xie et al. reveal that rod-shaped microglia form in response to early cortical hyperactivity in a mouse model of TDP-43 neurodegeneration. These specialized microglia interact with neuronal dendrites and remodel excitatory inputs, providing a neuroprotective effect.

Microglia are important immune cells in the brain. Mutations in microglia cause microgliopathies. Microglia replacement has emerged as a groundbreaking therapeutic paradigm that enables correction of ...

Animal studies support idea that boosting fluid clearance could blunt neurological disorders