microglial cell


microglial cell

A perivascular bone-marrow-derived cell native to the CNS, belonging to the mononuclear phagocytic system (e.g., monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells and granulocytes), which presents antigens in an MHC-class-II restricted context.

microglial cell

A small glial cell of the central nervous system and retina. Microglia have spiky branched processes and are arranged homogeneously throughout the brain and spinal cord. They are activated by disease and injury, after which they become phagocytic and sometimes resume their embryonic motility like a macrophage. See also: cell