Home › Research › Inflammation and the immune system
Cellular forms and functions of brain microglia
Davis EJ, Foster TD, Thomas WE.. Brain research bulletin, 1994-01-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Consistent with the recent characterization of microglial cells as macrophages, an overall picture for the unique function of these cells in CNS tissue has developed. The microglia are derived from blood monocytes that migrate into the tissue during fetal development and subsequently remain after complete formation of the blood-brain barrier. These monocytes give rise to the ramified microglia of adult tissue through the developmental intermediate of amoeboid microglia.
Key findings
- The microglia are derived from blood monocytes that migrate into the tissue during fetal development and subsequently remain after complete formation of the blood-brain barrier.
- These monocytes give rise to the ramified microglia of adult tissue through the developmental intermediate of amoeboid microglia.
- Ramified microglia appear uniquely adapted in contrast to other tissue macrophages based on their stability or lack of turnover and mitotic capability.
- The ramified cells, while usually downregulated, can convert into active macrophages termed reactive microglia; this conversion appears to occur nonspecifically in response to any injury.
Why it matters
This is a basic description of where microglia come from and how they behave in the brain, not a treatment study. It offers no direct path to treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 41/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 39 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 41 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Brain research bulletin) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Brain Research Bulletin: journal h-index 203 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1994 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 358 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 10.5 citations a year over 34 year(s) since 1994 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 6.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 3 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 25 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Howard University: institution h-index 335 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 8193937) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 39 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 39 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 41 out of 100. |
| Total | 41 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Davis, E. J., Foster, T. D., & Thomas, W. E. (1994). Cellular forms and functions of brain microglia. Brain research bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1016/0361-9230(94)90189-9
Vancouver
Davis EJ, Foster TD, Thomas WE. Cellular forms and functions of brain microglia. Brain research bulletin. 1994. doi:10.1016/0361-9230(94)90189-9. PMID: 8193937.
BibTeX
@article{davis1994-8193937,
author = {Davis, E. J. and Foster, T. D. and Thomas, W. E.},
title = {{Cellular forms and functions of brain microglia}},
journal = {Brain research bulletin},
year = {1994},
doi = {10.1016/0361-9230(94)90189-9},
pmid = {8193937},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/0361-9230(94)90189-9}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Later studies that cite this one
3 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.
Related studies in Inflammation and the immune system
Also in Inflammation and the immune system
138 studies in the library are filed under Inflammation and the immune system with no topic tag they share with another; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed tour of them. The Inflammation and the immune system hub.