Microglia across evolution: from conserved origins to functional divergence

Shimizu T, Prinz M.

Cell Mol Immunol. 2025; doi: 10.1038/s41423-025-01368-6.

While homeostatic microglia maintain similar functions during phylogeny-such as immune surveillance, debris clearance, and synaptic pruning-their morphology, gene expression, and responses to stimuli remarkably vary by species.