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. 2010 Dec 1;1(3):254-261.

The Brain's Aging Immune System

Wolfgang J Streit  1 , Qing-Shan Xue
Affiliations
Free PMC article

The Brain's Aging Immune System

Wolfgang J Streit et al. Aging Dis. .
Free PMC article

Abstract

In this review, we summarize key observations supporting the idea of immunosenescence in the CNS. We provide a discussion of senescent changes that affect microglial cells and emphasize differences between laboratory rodents and humans. Microglial immunosenescence may explain why humans but not rodents develop neurofibrillary degeneration.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Morphological comparison of microglial cells in the young (A) and old (B) rat brain. Microglia (fluorescently immunolabeled by antibody Iba1 in green, arrow head), along with neurons (arrows) in the aged rat brain accumulate lipofuscin which is autofluorescent (red). 28 day-old (A) and 39 month-old rat cerebral cortex with DAPI counterstaining (blue).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Microglial cytorrhexis is apparent in the cerebral cortex of a human with Alzheimer’s disease. Subject was an 87 year-old male with Alzheimer’s disease, Braak stage V. Iba1 immunohistochemistry.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Streit WJ. Microglial activation and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease: a critical examination of recent history. Front Aging Neurosci. 2010;2:22. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Streit WJ. Microglia and Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. J Neurosci Res. 2004;77:1–8. - PubMed
    1. Nakajima K, Kohsaka S. Microglia: neuroprotective and neurotrophic cells in the central nervous system. Curr Drug Targets Cardiovasc Haematol Disord. 2004;4:65–84. - PubMed
    1. Streit WJ. Microglia as neuroprotective, immunocompetent cells of the CNS. Glia. 2002;40:133–139. - PubMed
    1. Streit WJ. Microglia and neuroprotection: implications for Alzheimer's disease. Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 2005;48:234–239. - PubMed

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