A team led by Neurobiology training faculty member Staci Bilbo and graduate student Ben Devlin has found that a molecule in the brain called interleukin 34 communicates with microglia immune cells and tells them when to start and stop pruning connections between brain cells, thus shaping how the brain develops. Says first-author Devlin, "The developmental timing of microglial pruning is so critical because it ensures the appropriate preservation and maintenance of important synaptic connections between neurons. If pruning is too early, or too late, it can have profound consequences for the proper functioning of our brains.” It's thought that if something goes awry with this sensitive pruning mechanism, it can lead to brain disorders such as autism and Alzheimer's disease.
Read Shantell Kirkendoll's article in SoM News.
Read the full study published July 2 in Immunity.