Microglia regulate neuronal development during embryogenesis, postnatal development, and in specialized microenvironments of the adult brain. Recent evidence demonstrates that in adulthood, microglia secrete factors which modulate adult hippocampal neurogenesis by inhibiting cell proliferation and survival both in vitro and in vivo, maintaining a balance between cell division and cell death in neurogenic niches. These resident immune cells also shape the nervous system by actively pruning synapses during critical periods of learning and engulfing excess neurons. In neurodegenerative diseases, aberrant microglial activity can impede the proper formation and prevent the development of appropriate functional properties of adult born granule cells. Ablating microglia has been presented as a promising therapeutic approach to alleviate the brain of maladaptive immune response. Here, we review key mechanisms through which the immune system actively shapes neurogenic niches throughout the lifespan of the mammalian brain in both health and disease. We discuss how interactions between immune cells and developing neurons may be leveraged for pharmacological intervention and as a means to preserve adult neurogenesis.

小胶质细胞在胚胎发生，产后发育以及成年大脑的特殊微环境中调节神经元发育。最近的证据表明，在成年期，小胶质细胞分泌因子通过抑制细胞增殖和存活来调节成年海马神经发生。体外 和 体内，在神经源性壁ches中维持细胞分裂与细胞死亡之间的平衡。这些驻留的免疫细胞还通过在学习和吞噬过量神经元的关键时期主动修剪突触来塑造神经系统。在神经退行性疾病中，异常的小胶质细胞活性会阻碍成年颗粒细胞的适当形成并阻止适当的功能特性的发展。消融的小胶质细胞已被证明是缓解大脑适应不良的免疫反应的一种有前途的治疗方法。在这里，我们回顾了免疫系统在健康和疾病的整个生命周期中通过免疫系统积极塑造神经源利基的关键机制。