
During development, oligodendrocytes contact and wrap neuronal axons with myelin. Similarly to neurons and synapses, excess myelin sheaths are produced and selectively eliminated, but how elimination occurs is unknown. Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, engulf surplus neurons and synapses. To determine whether microglia also prune myelin sheaths, we used zebrafish to visualize and manipulate interactions between microglia, oligodendrocytes, and neurons during development. We found that microglia closely associate with oligodendrocytes and specifically phagocytose myelin sheaths. By using a combination of optical, genetic, chemogenetic, and behavioral approaches, we reveal that neuronal activity bidirectionally balances microglial association with neuronal cell bodies and myelin phagocytosis in the optic tectum. Furthermore, multiple strategies to deplete microglia resulted in oligodendrocytes maintaining excessive and ectopic myelin. Our work reveals a neuronal activity-regulated role for microglia in modifying developmental myelin targeting by oligodendrocytes.
Neurons, Superior Colliculi, Neurogenesis, Article, Animals, Genetically Modified, Oligodendroglia, Phagocytosis, Spinal Cord, Animals, Microglia, Myelin Sheath, Zebrafish
Neurons, Superior Colliculi, Neurogenesis, Article, Animals, Genetically Modified, Oligodendroglia, Phagocytosis, Spinal Cord, Animals, Microglia, Myelin Sheath, Zebrafish
| citations This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 300 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 0.1% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 0.1% |
