It is well established that microglia perform key functions in the development of the brain such as in circuit refinement, neurogenesis, and neuronal growth 39. Microglia mediated inflammation can have deleterious consequences for the brain and much evidence indicates that microglial activation contributes to neurodegenerative disease such as AD, PD and ALD 40,41. In ALD, phagocytes derived from autologous bone marrow transplants likely elicit their beneficial effects by replacing mutant microglia, as they stall terminal neuro-inflammation and demyelination 42. In addition, other brain dysfunctions including depression 43, schizophrenia and autism have been suggested to involve microglial dysfunction. The availability of a robust protocol to generate and maintain microglia from patients suffering from these conditions allows studying the interaction of neurons and microglia and will facilitate the investigation of these diseases in defined culture conditions.
