microglia

British  

/ ˌmaɪkrəʊˈɡlɪə /

noun

1. one of the two types of non-nervous tissue (glia) found in the central nervous system, having macrophage activity Compare macroglia

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Example Sentences

Although these protective microglia appear in relatively small numbers, the study showed that they have a powerful influence across the brain.

From Science Daily

Instead, a specific class of immune cells known as microglia appears to play a central role in determining whether mice show anxious behavior.

From Science Daily

These specialized microglia also slow the buildup of amyloid plaques and the spread of toxic tau proteins, which are both major hallmarks of Alzheimer's.

From Science Daily

The researchers found that amyloid deposits disrupted the normal rhythm of hundreds of genes in two key types of brain cells -- microglia and astrocytes.

From Science Daily

In addition, the treated mice had healthier microglia -- specialized immune cells in the brain responsible for detecting and clearing damaged tissue.

From Science Daily