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.

Scientists had long believed that microglia remain confined to the brain and do not cross the blood brain barrier, unlike many other immune cells that circulate through the bloodstream.

From Science Daily • Jun. 12, 2026

At the same time, protein clumps that build up in the brain trigger microglia to multiply and respond.

From Science Daily • Jun. 12, 2026

Researchers found that microglia, the immune cells that reside in the brain, accumulate mutations in specific cancer-driving genes.

From Science Daily • Jun. 12, 2026

Interestingly, Menin levels did not significantly decrease in nearby support cells such as astrocytes or microglia.

From Science Daily • May 24, 2026

In the brain, for example, microglia, which are the macrophages of the central nervous system, may become senescent in conditions like Alzheimer's disease as they encounter large amounts of cellular debris.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026

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