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Morphofunctional programming of microglia requires distinct roles of type II myosins
Author(s) -
Melo Pedro Neves,
Silveira Mariana,
Mendes Pinto Inês,
Relvas João Bettencourt
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
glia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.954
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1098-1136
pISSN - 0894-1491
DOI - 10.1002/glia.24067
Subject(s) - microglia , biology , rhoa , cofilin , cytoskeleton , microbiology and biotechnology , actin , myosin , actin cytoskeleton , neuroscience , cell , inflammation , immunology , signal transduction , genetics
The ramified morphology of microglia and the dynamics of their membrane protrusions are essential for their functions in central nervous system development, homeostasis, and disease. Although their ability to change and control shape critically depends on the actin and actomyosin cytoskeleton, the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this study, we systematically analyzed the actomyosin cytoskeleton and regulators downstream of the small GTPase RhoA in the control of microglia shape and function. Our results reveal that (i) Myh9 controls cortical tension levels and affects microglia protrusion formation, (ii) cofilin‐mediated maintenance of actin turnover regulates microglia protrusion extension, and (iii) Myh10 influences microglia inflammatory activation. Overall we uncover molecular pathways that regulate microglia morphology and identify type‐II myosins as important regulators of microglia biology with differential roles in the control of cell shape (Myh9) and functions (Myh10).