Filling the myeloid void

A Genentech study in Cell Reports cranked up the resolution on neuroinflammatory states in the brain by identifying gene expression patterns in microglia that are associated with various types of CNS disease. The findings pave the way for identifying unique inflammatory mechanisms in each disease and determining whether those mechanisms are harmful or helpful.

Microglia, the myeloid cells of the brain, are thought both to contribute to and protect against many CNS diseases, but little is known about how the cells compare to their peripheral counterparts...