Clinical and Developmental Immunology Volume 2013 (2013), Article ID 208093, 8 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/208093
Review Article
Role of Microglia in CNS Autoimmunity
1Institute of Neuropathology, University of Freiburg, Breisacher Straße 64, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
2BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Breisacher Straße 64, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
2BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Breisacher Straße 64, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
Received 10 May 2013; Accepted 28 May 2013
Academic Editor: Wolfgang J. Streit
Copyright © 2013 Tobias Goldmann and Marco Prinz. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in the Western world. The disease is characterized histologically by the infiltration of encephalitogenic 1/17-polarized CD4+ T cells, B cells, and a plethora of myeloid cells, resulting in severe demyelination ultimately leading to a degeneration of neuronal structures. These pathological processes are substantially modulated by microglia, the resident immune competent cells of the CNS. In this overview, we summarize the current knowledge regarding the highly diverse and complex function of microglia during CNS autoimmunity in either promoting tissue injury or tissue repair. Hence, understanding microglia involvement in MS offers new exciting paths for therapeutic intervention.
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