PUBLICATION

The SLC7A7 Transporter Identifies Microglial Precursors prior to Entry into the Brain

Authors
Rossi, F., Casano, A.M., Henke, K., Richter, K., Peri, F.
ID
ZDB-PUB-150512-6
Date
2015
Source
Cell Reports   11(7): 1008-17 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Henke, Katrin, Peri, Francesca
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Amino Acid Transport System y+L/metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Brain/embryology*
  • Cell Differentiation/physiology
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Macrophages/cytology*
  • Macrophages/metabolism
  • Microglia/cytology*
  • Microglia/metabolism
  • Neural Stem Cells/cytology*
  • Neural Stem Cells/metabolism
  • Neurogenesis/physiology
  • Zebrafish
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
PubMed
25959825 Full text @ Cell Rep.
Abstract
During development, macrophages invade organs to establish phenotypically and transcriptionally distinct tissue-resident populations. How they invade and colonize these organs is unclear. In particular, it remains to be established whether they arise from naive equivalents that colonize organs randomly or whether there are committed macrophages that follow pre-determined migration paths. Here, by using a combination of genetics and imaging approaches in the zebrafish embryo, we have addressed how macrophages colonize the brain to become microglia. Identification and cloning of a mutant that lacks microglia has shown that Slc7a7, a Leucine/Arginine transporter, defines a restricted macrophage sub-lineage and is necessary for brain colonization. By taking a photoconversion approach, we show that these macrophages give rise to microglia. This study provides direct experimental evidence for the existence of sub-lineages among embryonic macrophages.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping