A model-based hierarchical Bayesian approach to Sholl analysis.

Motivation: Due to the link between microglial morphology and function, morphological changes in microglia are frequently used to identify pathological immune responses in the central nervous system. In the absence of pathology, microglia are responsible for maintaining homeostasis, and their morphology can be indicative of how the healthy brain behaves in the presence of external stimuli and genetic differences. Despite recent interest in high throughput methods for morphological analysis, Sholl analysis is still widely used for quantifying microglia morphology via imaging data.

Noradrenergic signaling controls Alzheimer's disease pathology via activation of microglial β2 adrenergic receptors.

Norepinephrine (NE) is a potent anti-inflammatory agent in the brain. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), the loss of NE signaling heightens neuroinflammation and exacerbates amyloid pathology. NE inhibits surveillance activity of microglia, the brain's resident immune cells, via their β2 adrenergic receptors (β2ARs).

Noradrenergic signaling controls Alzheimer's disease pathology via activation of microglial β2 adrenergic receptors.

In Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology, plaque and tangle accumulation trigger an inflammatory response that mounts positive feed-back loops between inflammation and protein aggregation, aggravating neurite damage and neuronal death. One of the earliest brain regions to undergo neurodegeneration is the locus coeruleus (LC), the predominant site of norepinephrine (NE) production in the central nervous system (CNS). In animal models of AD, dampening the impact of noradrenergic signaling pathways, either through administration of beta blockers or pharmacological ablation of the LC, heightened neuroinflammation through increased levels of pro-inflammatory mediators.

Surgical Methods in Postmetamorphic Xenopus laevis: Optic Nerve Crush Injury Model.

Many human optic neuropathies lead to crippling conditions resulting in partial or complete loss of vision. While the retina is made up of several different cell types, retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are the only cell type connecting the eye to the brain. Optic nerve crush injuries, wherein RGC axons are damaged without severing the optic nerve sheath, can serve as a model for traumatic optical neuropathies as well as some progressive neuropathies such as glaucoma.

A Model-Based Hierarchical Bayesian Approach to Sholl Analysis.

Due to the link between microglial morphology and function, morphological changes in microglia are frequently used to identify pathological immune responses in the central nervous system. In the absence of pathology, microglia are responsible for maintaining homeostasis, and their morphology can be indicative of how the healthy brain behaves in the presence of external stimuli and genetic differences. Despite recent interest in high throughput methods for morphological analysis, Sholl analysis is still the gold standard for quantifying microglia morphology via imaging data.