Stem-cell-derived human microglia transplanted into mouse brain to study human disease

Microglia are critically involved in complex neurological disorders with a strong genetic component, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and frontotemporal dementia. Although mouse microglia can recapitulate aspects of human physiology, they do not fully capture the reproduce all cell states. Primary cultures or derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) difficult to maintain brain-relevant states vitro. Here we describe MIGRATE (microglia vitro generation refined for advanced transplantation experiments, which provides combined differentiation vivo xenotransplantation protocol study context brain. This article details an accurate, step-by-step workflow that includes PSCs, into brain quantitative analysis engraftment. Compared current protocols, present optimized, faster more efficient approach yields up 80% chimerism. To quantitatively assess engraftment efficiency by flow cytometry, access specialized cytometry is required. Alternatively, percentage chimerism be estimated standard immunohistochemical analysis. The takes ~40 d complete, culturing PSCs assessment. Mancuso De Strooper colleagues studying transplanted