Editorial: The role of microglia in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases

Microglia, accounting for ~10–15% of glial cells in the brain, are the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), and play crucial roles in numerous biological processes, including immune surveillance, synapse pruning, and phagocytosis of dead cells, to maintain CNS stability (Lawson et al., 1990; Wu et al., 2014). When resting microglia are activated, released pro-inflammatory mediators and chemokines can regulate their activity and promote microglial phagocytosis of pathogens. Activated microglia also release anti-inflammatory factors, contributing to neuronal repair and anti-inflammatory defense (Schmid et al., 2009; Orihuela et al., 2016). However, upon adverse activation, microglia can produce neurotoxic substances, causing neuronal damage, accelerating the progression of neurodegenerative disease (ND).