microglia

British

/ ˌmaɪkrəʊˈɡlɪə /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The team led by Prof. Bart De Strooper demonstrated that this fragment is essential, as microglia only responded when it was intact and functional.

From Science Daily • Mar. 17, 2026

They also became the first to incorporate microglia -- immune cells found in the central nervous system -- to better replicate the inflammatory response that follows spinal cord injury.

From Science Daily • Feb. 16, 2026

"One function of microglia is to serve as chief garbage collectors in the central nervous system," Burda said.

From Science Daily • Feb. 13, 2026

This molecule sends signals to immune cells known as microglia.

From Science Daily • Feb. 13, 2026

"If we remove astrocyte CCN1, the microglia eat, but they don't digest. They call in more microglia, which also eat but don't digest," Burda said.

From Science Daily • Feb. 13, 2026

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023