Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39925814›Full record

ReviewFrontiers in immunology2025

Mechanisms and environmental factors shaping the ecosystem of brain macrophages.

Silvia Penati, Simone Brioschi, Zhangying Cai, Claudia Z Han, Marco Colonna

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Frontiers in immunology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Microglia as critical mediators linking perinatal immune stress to mental health trajectories.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Silvia PenatiDepartment of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, United States.
Simone BrioschiDepartment of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, United States.
Zhangying CaiDepartment of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, United States.
Claudia Z HanDepartment of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, United States.
Marco ColonnaDepartment of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, United States.

Funding

The protein tyrosine kinase SYK drives innate immune responses against Alzheimer's DiseaseP01AG078106 · NIA · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI MARCO COLONNA · 2022 to 2026
$18.4M
Ontogenetic niche of B cells at the CNS borders in homeostasis, aging and autoimmunityR01AI158579 · NIAID · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI MARCO COLONNA, ALESSANDRA B PERNIS · 2022 to 2026
$3.0M
Spontaneous and Induced B cell and T cell responses in Alzheimer's DiseaseR01AG081631 · NIA · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI MARCO COLONNA · 2024 to 2026
$2.3M
TREM2 IN MICROGLIA BIOLOGY AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASER01AG051485 · NIA · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI MARCO COLONNA · 2024 to 2026
$1.7M
Gene regulatory networks influencing neuron-microglia interactions in fetal brain development.R00MH129983 · NIMH · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI HAN, CLAUDIA Z · 2024 to 2025
$428k
Elucidating the mechanisms by which microgliopathy causes early-onset dementiaR21AG085133 · NIA · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI COLONNA, MARCO · 2024 to 2024
$428k
NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI158579NIA NIH HHS P01 AG078106NIA NIH HHS R01 AG051485NIA NIH HHS R01 AG081631NIA NIH HHS R21 AG085133NIMH NIH HHS R00 MH129983
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Brain macrophages encompass two major populations: microglia in the parenchyma and border-associated macrophages (BAMs) in the extra-parenchymal compartments. These cells play crucial roles in maintaining brain homeostasis and immune surveillance. Microglia and BAMs are phenotypically and epigenetically distinct and exhibit highly specialized functions tailored to their environmental niches. Intriguingly, recent studies have shown that both microglia and BAMs originate from the same myeloid progenitor during yolk sac hematopoiesis, but their developmental fates diverge within the brain. Several works have partially unveiled the mechanisms orchestrating the development of microglia and BAMs in both mice and humans; however, many questions remain unanswered. Defining the molecular underpinnings controlling the transcriptional and epigenetic programs of microglia and BAMs is one of the upcoming challenges for the field. In this review, we outline current knowledge on ontogeny, phenotypic diversity, and the factors shaping the ecosystem of brain macrophages. We discuss insights garnered from human studies, highlighting similarities and differences compared to mice. Lastly, we address current research gaps and potential future directions in the field. Understanding how brain macrophages communicate with their local environment and how the tissue instructs their developmental trajectories and functional features is essential to fully comprehend brain physiology in homeostasis and disease.

Indexed as

BrainMacrophagesMicrogliaAnimalsEpigenesis, GeneticHomeostasisHumansMiceborder-associated-macrophagesbrain developmentbrain macrophagesmicrogliaontogenyyolk sac

Identifiers

PMID39925814
PMCPMC11802581

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.