BioSpeak Focus on Microglia

HIGHLIGHTS IN NEURON-GLIA INTERACTIONS...

(Nice to know that microglia are looking after your brain even while you sleep!) 

 

Dear Doctor  

 

In this issue of BioSpeak we focus on recent exciting findings on the interactions of neurons and the principal immune cells of the central nervous system - the microglia. 

 

After being neglected for a long time, microglia have emerged as central mediators of neuroinflammation and found to be critical for proper neuronal function in the healthy brain.   

 

Recent advances include the demonstration that microglial support is crucial for neuronal wiring in the developing and mature brain, as well as contributing to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

For the full range of our products visit us at www.biosensis.com.   
Hot topics in Microglia research
New insights into neuron-microglia interactions
Microglia: "Good cops or bad cops?"
Quality antibodies and ELISA kits for your research!
New MOAB-2 antibody
MOAB-2 Image 1
MOAB-2 is a new highly specific amyloid beta (Aβ) monoclonal antibody used for Alzheimer's research. (Catalog No: M-1586-100).
 

New insights into neuron-microglia interactions 

Microglia express a variety of cell surface receptors and secrete messenger molecules that are involved in neuron-glia communication.

  

Ueno, M., et al., Layer v cortical neurons require microglial support for survival during postnatal development. Nature Neuroscience, 2013. 16(5): p. 543-551

 

Here, the chemokine fractalkine (CX3CL1) and its microglial receptor CX3CR1 as well as the neurotrophic insulin-like growth factor IGF-1 were found to support neuronal survival during postnatal development in mice.

 

Hughes, V., Microglia: The constant gardeners. Nature, 2012. 485(7400): p. 570-572.
  

This short review article summarizes the recently discovered role of microglia in synaptic plasticity and highlights some of the researchers that have significantly advanced the research field of neuron-glia biology.

 

Microglial cells are also involved in the progression of neuropathologies including Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Hallmarks of AD include circulating Aβ-peptide oligomers and amyloid plaque that promote neuronal degeneration.

 

Gold, M., et al., Mechanisms of action of naturally occurring antibodies against β-amyloid on microglia. Journal of Neuroinflammation, 2013. 10.

 

In this study, microglial cells were demonstrated to be capable of reducing the burden of toxic -oligomers by phagocytosis with help of naturally occurring anti- antibodies and secrete as yet unidentified factors that increase neuronal survival.

 

Nevertheless, amyloid plaque can trigger neuroinflammation and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β.

 

Heneka, M.T., et al., NLRP3 is activated in Alzheimer's disease and contributes to pathology in APP/PS1 mice. Nature, 2013. 494(7435): p. 674-678.

 

A crucial role of the NRLP3 inflammasome upstream of IL-1β maturation was identified here. Microglia in NLRP3-deficient mice showed a beneficial phenotype linked to enhanced amyloid-β clearance.

 

Microglia: "Good cops or bad cops?"  

The function of microglia in AD progression exemplifies their crucial yet dual role for neuronal survival.

 

Aguzzi, A., B.A. Barres, and M.L. Bennett, Microglia: Scapegoat, saboteur, or something else? Science, 2013. 339(6116): p. 156-161.

 

This excellent review discusses the persistent question of whether microglial cells are the "good or bad cops".

 

If you need to find an answer to this question, Biosensis can help you!

 

Quality antibodies and ELISA kits for your research!     

Biosensis is proud to offer a suite of products for continued research into neuron-glia biology and neurodegenerative diseases such as AD.

 

Mouse monoclonal antibody OX42 to the microglial marker CD11b (M-1325-100).

Mouse monoclonal antibody to NeuN/Fox3 [1B7] (1-99) (M-377-100).

Mouse monoclonal antibody MOAB-2 to amyloid-Aβ peptide (Aβ 40/42) (M-1586-100).

Amylo-Glo RTD amyloid plaque stain reagent (TR-300-AG).

Fluoro-Jade C staining kit for identifying degenerating neurons (TR-100-FJ).


Biosensis offers 200 ELISA kits for a variety of neurotrophic factors, chemokines, cytokines and other intercellular messenger molecules. Some highlights from our extensive range of ELISA kits include:

Coming soon: Sandwich ELISA to quantify oligomeric Aβ-peptides!

    

 Mouse monoclonal antibody to NeuN/Fox3 [1B7] (1-99): IgG  

M-377-100

Rat brain neural cultures stained with mouse monoclonal antibody to
NeuN/Fox3 (M-377-100, red), chicken polyclonal antibody to GFAP (C-1373-50, green) and DNA (blue). Note: a rabbit polyclonal antibody to NeuN/Fox3 (R-3770-100) is also available.

 

 

 

 

 

MOAB-2 Mouse Monoclonal antibody to Amyloid beta peptide (A beta 40/42)M-1586-100  

IHC staining of amyloid-Aβ peptide with MOAB-2 antibody (M-1586-100, red) on hippocampal sections of 2,4 and 6 month old 5XFAD mice. Green: NeuN staining. Photo courtesy of Dr. Mary Jo LaDu and Dr. Leon Tai from the University of Illinois (Chicago).

  

M-1586-100 IHC


Immunohistochemical detection of Aβ and APP in coronal sections of the frontal cortex of 1-month old 5xFAD mice. Sections were co-stained with MOAB-2 antibody (M-1586-100) or APP antibodies (N-terminus and C-terminus). MOAB-2 staining was punctate and did not co-localize with APP antibodies. Figure courtesy of Youmans, KL et al (2012).
 
 
 
Amylo-Glo RTD "Ready-to-Dilute" Amyloid Plaque Stain Reagent 

Amylo_Glo

Triple-fluorescence image showing Amylo-GloŽ positive amyloid plaques (blue), GFAP-positive astrocytes (green) and activated microglia (red) in the hippocampus of the AD/Tg mouse. (Catalog No: TR-300-AG). 

 

 

  

 

  

 

Human Interleukin 1 beta ELISA Kit (2 Plates)
BEK-2158-2P

Typical standard curve generated to quantify human IL-1β (BEK-2158-2P). Biosensis offers a wide range of sensitive sandwich ELISA kits allowing you to accurately quantify your analyte of interest.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 


To view the full range of ELISA kits and antibodies visit our web site at
www.biosensis.com.

 

The Biosensis UNCONDITIONAL Guarantee
Web site guarantee logo

Should your manuscript ever be rejected by ANY journal because of insufficient information about a Biosensis antibody, we will gladly refund TWICE the purchase price of that antibody!


By researchers for researchers!   

The staff at Biosensis have over 60 years of combined experience in manufacturing and working with antibodies and have published over 340 peer reviewed research publications in the field of neuroscience. We guarantee to provide you with the antibody information you need to get your research published.

 

If you have a query on any of our products, one of our experienced researchers can help at biospeak@biosensis.com.
   
Until next time, good luck with your research.
 
Sincerely,
Tina
 
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