Molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic material clearance by microglia after CNS injury

Phagocytosis of synaptic material by microglia is critical for CNS development. Less well understood is this microglial function in the injured adult brain. Assay of microglial phagocytosis is challenging, because peripheral myeloid cells engraft the site of injury, which could obscure interpretation of microglial roles. This thesis shows how neurodegenerative debris is cleared by microglia and offers a model for studying its mechanisms and physiological roles. I have focused on the role of neuronal activity as a driving force in microglial activation as well as what phagocytic receptors are necessary for microglial debris clearance.