Hasselmann, J. et al. Neuron https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2019.07.002 (2019)

Microglia, immune first responders in the nervous system, are increasingly recognized as important components to the development of a number of neurological disorders. When studied in vitro however, the cells don’t quite live up to their full potential—location matters. To add biological context, researchers from the University of California, Irvine have been moving human microglia in vivo.

Using MITRG mice, a humanized, immunodeficient strain, they xenotransplanted iPSC-derived human microglia into pups and over time observed human-like cell behavior and gene expression patterns after acute and chronic injuries as well as in response to beta-amyloid plaques, a characteristic feature of Alzheimer’s disease. The authors suggest that the chimeric mouse could be a new in vivo tool for studying the complexities of human microglial function and its role in neurological disease.