PUBLICATION

The embryonic zebrafish brain is seeded by a lymphatic-dependent population of mrc1+ microglia precursors

Authors
Green, L.A., O'Dea, M.R., Hoover, C.A., DeSantis, D.F., Smith, C.J.
ID
ZDB-PUB-220622-17
Date
2022
Source
Nature Neuroscience   25(7): 849-864 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Smith, Cody
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Brain/physiology
  • Humans
  • Microglia*/metabolism
  • Yolk Sac/metabolism
  • Zebrafish*
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
PubMed
35710983 Full text @ Nat. Neurosci.
Abstract
Microglia are the resident macrophages of the CNS that serve critical roles in brain construction. Although human brains contain microglia by 4 weeks gestation, an understanding of the earliest microglia that seed the brain during its development remains unresolved. Using time-lapse imaging in zebrafish, we discovered a mrc1a+ microglia precursor population that seeds the brain before traditionally described microglia. These early microglia precursors are dependent on lymphatic vasculature that surrounds the brain and are independent of pu1+ yolk sac-derived microglia. Single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets reveal Mrc1+ microglia in the embryonic brains of mice and humans. We then show in zebrafish that these early mrc1a+ microglia precursors preferentially expand during pathophysiological states in development. Taken together, our results identify a critical role of lymphatics in the microglia precursors that seed the early embryonic brain.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping