The major aim of the Brain Macrophage Research Unit is the coordinated investigation of the functional, spatial, temporal and developmental diversity of myeloid cells in the central nervous system (CNS). The brain hosts a heterogenous population of myeloid cells, including microglia, perivascular cells, meningeal macrophages and disease-associated blood-borne monocytes. In contrast to other glial cells, brain macro- phages are more related to the peripheral immune system than to the neuroectoderm. Thus far, the different types of brain macrophages have been discriminated solely on the basis of their localization, morphology and surface epitope expression. However, recent data suggest that resident microglia may be functionally distinct from bone marrow-derived macrophages, which invade the CNS under patho- logical conditions. During the last few years, research on brain macrophages has been dramatically changed by the advent of novel tools in imaging, genetics and immunology. These new methodologies have yielded unexpected results, which challenge the traditional view of brain macrophages. Based on these recent studies, performed in part by members of this Research Unit 1336, we propose a new classification of brain macrophage subtypes with regard to their origin, function and fate within the CNS.





The Brain Macrophages – Consortium


Speakers

Marco Prinz
Department for Neuropathology
University of Freiburg

Josef Priller
Neuropsychiatry and Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry
Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin


Participants

Uwe-Karsten Hanisch
Institute of Neuropathology
University of Göttingen

Harald Neumann
Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology
University Bonn Hospital

Frank Rosenbauer
Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC)
Berlin

Knut Biber
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
University of Freiburg

Alexander Flügel
Institute for Multiple-Sclerosis Research
University of Göttingen

Ingo Bechmann
Institut für Anatomie
University of Leipzig

Josef Priller
Neuropsychiatry and Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry
Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Steffen Jung
Department of Immunology
The Weizmann Institute of Science

Marco Prinz
Department of Neuropathology
University of Freiburg

Ari Waisman
I. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik
Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz


Administrative office

Sylvia Blust-Maciej
Department for Neuropathology
University of Freiburg