Microglial SIRPα regulates the emergence of CD11c microglia and demyelination damage in white matter.

A characteristic subset of microglia expressing CD11c appears in response to brain damage. However, the functional role of CD11c microglia, as well as the mechanism of its induction, are poorly understood. Here we report that the genetic ablation of signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα), a membrane protein, induced the emergence of CD11c microglia in the brain white matter.