Investigating the Roles of Microglia and Astrocytes in Multiple Sclerosis: Allies or Adversaries?

Borgers, Jules (2024) Investigating the Roles of Microglia and Astrocytes in Multiple Sclerosis: Allies or Adversaries? Bachelor's Thesis, Biology.

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Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated neurodegenerative disease predominantly diagnosed in young adults. Microglia and astrocytes are glial cells that have been associated with MS disease progression. However, other studies suggest these cells have been associated with amelioration of MS. The aim of this literature study is to investigate how microglia and astrocytes behave in MS lesions and how their interactions with other glial cells affect MS disease progression. Microglia seem to exert more protective effects in and around MS lesions compared to astrocytes. However, in certain circumstances, microglial activity in MS lesions can be fatal to oligodendrocytes. Astrocytes have predominantly been associated with detrimental behaviors in MS. Some studies have found that astrocyte-oligodendrocyte communication via gap junctions can be impaired in MS, harming oligodendrocytes. On the other hand, astrocytes provide OPCs with essential differentiation factors in MS. Finally, astrocytes can recruit microglia to MS lesions, which can contribute to disease progression and amelioration. In conclusion, the roles of microglia and astrocytes and their interactions in MS remain complex, which limits the ability of making a general statement on their roles in MS. Future research should focus on investigating the environmental triggers that create harmful phenotypes of microglia and astrocytes in MS to develop novel strategies to combat adversary roles in these glial allies.

Item Type:	Thesis (Bachelor's Thesis)
Supervisor name:	Eisel, U.L.M. and Baron, W.
Degree programme:	Biology
Thesis type:	Bachelor's Thesis
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	16 Jul 2024 12:08
Last Modified:	16 Jul 2024 12:08
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/33373

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