Microglia, the primary resident immune cell type, constitute a key population of glia in the retina. Recent evidence indicates that microglia play significant functional roles in the retina at different life stages. During development, retinal microglia regulate neuronal survival by exerting trophic influences and influencing programmed cell death. During adulthood, ramified microglia in the plexiform layers interact closely with synapses to maintain synaptic structure and function that underlie the retina's electrophysiological response to light. Under pathological conditions, retinal microglia participate in potentiating neurodegeneration in diseases such as glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, and age-related neurodegeneration by producing proinflammatory neurotoxic cytokines and removing living neurons via phagocytosis. Modulation of pathogenic microglial activation states and effector mechanisms has been linked to neuroprotection in animal models of retinal diseases. These findings have led to the design of early proof-of-concept clinical trials with microglial modulation as a therapeutic strategy.

中文翻译：

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视网膜中的小胶质细胞：在发育，成熟度和疾病中的作用。

小胶质细胞是主要的常驻免疫细胞类型，是视网膜中神经胶质细胞的主要种群。最近的证据表明，小胶质细胞在不同生命阶段在视网膜中起着重要的作用。在发育过程中，视网膜小胶质细胞通过发挥营养作用并影响程序性细胞死亡来调节神经元存活。在成年期间，丛状层中分枝的小胶质细胞与突触紧密相互作用，以维持突触的结构和功能，这是视网膜对光的电生理反应的基础。在病理条件下，视网膜小胶质细胞通过产生促炎性神经毒性细胞因子并通过吞噬作用去除活的神经元，从而参与增强诸如青光眼，色素性视网膜炎和年龄相关性神经变性等疾病的神经变性。在视网膜疾病动物模型中，致病性小胶质细胞激活状态和效应器机制的调节与神经保护有关。这些发现导致了以微胶质调节为治疗策略的早期概念验证临床试验的设计。