Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42552384›Full record

ArticleNature neuroscience2026

A reproducible three-dimensional model of human brain tissue to investigate physiological and disease-associated microglia phenotypes.

Julien Klimmt, Carolina Cardoso Gonçalves, Jessica Valentina Montgomery, Stephan A Müller, Merle Bublitz, Severin Filser, Lars Paeger, Brigitte Nuscher, Angelika Dannert, Sigrun Roeber and 17 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature neuroscience, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

27 authors.

Julien Klimmt *Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Medizin, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0781-6400
Carolina Cardoso Gonçalves *Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Medizin, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6149-4177
Jessica Valentina MontgomerySystems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) e.V., Bonn, Germany.
Stephan A MüllerGerman Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3414-307X
Merle BublitzInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Medizin, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Severin FilserInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Medizin, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Lars PaegerGerman Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Munich, Munich, Germany.
Brigitte NuscherMetabolic Biochemistry, Biomedical Center (BMC), Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Angelika DannertInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Medizin, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0902-3044
Sigrun RoeberInstitute of Neuropathology, LMU Medizin, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Veronica PravataChair of Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center (BMC), LMU Medizin, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0081-9310
Martina SchiffererGerman Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0500-8218
Joshua J ShrouderInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Medizin, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4845-2228
Nathalie SchulzInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Medizin, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-7368-8264
Judit González-GallegoInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Medizin, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Silvia CappelloChair of Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center (BMC), LMU Medizin, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Thomas MisgeldGerman Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Munich, Munich, Germany.
Nikolaus PlesnilaInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Medizin, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8832-228X
Eduardo BeltránMunich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7266-4098
Jochen HermsGerman Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6201-1042
Elena De DomenicoSystems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) e.V., Bonn, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0336-8284
Marc D BeyerSystems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) e.V., Bonn, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9704-148X
Joachim L SchultzeSystems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) e.V., Bonn, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2812-9853
Christian HaassGerman Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4869-1627
Stefan F LichtenthalerGerman Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2211-2575
Caterina CarraroSystems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) e.V., Bonn, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3039-4675
Dominik PaquetInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Medizin, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany. dominik.paquet@med.uni-muenchen.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2065-1639

Funding

BrightFocus Foundation (BrightFocus) ADR AD2019604SBundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (Federal Ministry of Education and Research) 16LW047
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Stem-cell-based in vitro models offer promising potential to elucidate human brain cell functions and interactions, but limitations in reproducibility, maturation and cell-type diversity persist. Especially, prolonged incorporation of mature microglia and studies of neuroinflammation have proven challenging. Here, we developed a human induced pluripotent stem cell-based three-dimensional cortical brain tissue model (3BTM) containing neurons, astrocytes and microglia with high reproducibility, maturity and viability. 3BTMs show morphological, functional and proteomic maturation of all cell types, leading to high similarity to their in vivo counterparts. Incorporated microglia survive for over 6 months and display mature morphology, functions and gene expression. Importantly, when engineered to model Alzheimer's disease pathology, 3BTMs recapitulate key disease hallmarks, including amyloid deposition, increased phospho-tau levels and neuroinflammation, with microglia shifting their transcriptional landscape to disease-relevant signatures. Treatment of Alzheimer's disease 3BTMs with anti-Aβ immunotherapy cleared deposits and largely reversed disease signatures in glia. Together, our microglia-containing model provides a platform for studying physiological and pathological states of human brain tissue.

Indexed as

Alzheimer DiseaseBrainInduced Pluripotent Stem CellsMicrogliaAmyloid beta-PeptidesAstrocytesHumansNeuronsPhenotypeAmyloid beta-Peptides

Identifiers

PMID42552384
PMCPMC13533838

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.