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Identification of a unique TGF-β–dependent molecular and functional signature in microglia
Oleg Butovsky, Mark P. Jedrychowski, Craig Stephen Moore, Ron Cialic, Amanda J. Lanser, Galina Gabriely, Thomas Koeglsperger, Ben Dake, Pauline M. Wu, Camille E. Doykan, Zain Fanek, Liping Liu, Zhuoxun Chen, Jeffrey D. Rothstein, Richard M. Ransohoff, Steven P. Gygi, Jack Perry Antel, Howard L. Weiner. Nature Neuroscience, 2013-12-08
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
We do not hold a plain-English summary of this study yet. Use the links to the original below for its abstract and findings.
Key findings
- Of the 239 genes, 106 were enriched in microglia as compared with astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and neurons.
- This microglia signature was not observed in microglial lines or in monocytes recruited to the CNS, and was also observed in human microglia.
- We found that TGF-β was required for the in vitro development of microglia that express the microglial molecular signature characteristic of adult microglia and that microglia were absent in the CNS of TGF-β1-deficient mice.
Why it matters
Reports a distinct molecular and functional signature in microglia that depends on TGF-β.
How this study scored 62/100
Published in a leading specialty 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 strength of evidence, so that was left out: it earned 59 of the 95 points we could judge it on, which is 62 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Nature Neuroscience) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Nature Neuroscience: journal h-index 593 (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 | — / 5 | No evidence rating recorded — left out of this score |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2013 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| 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 | 7 / 7 | Cited 2,567 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 171.1 citations a year over 15 year(s) since 2013 |
| Impact for its field and year | 6 / 6 | Cited 57.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 531 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Howard L. Weiner: h-index 153 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 24316888) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 59 / 95 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 59 of the 95 points we could judge it on is 62 out of 100. |
| Total | 62 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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. The record names 18 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Butovsky, O., Jedrychowski, M. P., Moore, C. S., Cialic, R., Lanser, A. J., Gabriely, G., et al. (2013). Identification of a unique TGF-β–dependent molecular and functional signature in microglia. Nature Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3599
Vancouver
Butovsky O, Jedrychowski MP, Moore CS, Cialic R, Lanser AJ, Gabriely G, et al. Identification of a unique TGF-β–dependent molecular and functional signature in microglia. Nature Neuroscience. 2013. doi:10.1038/nn.3599. PMID: 24316888.
BibTeX
@article{butovsky2013-24316888,
author = {Butovsky, Oleg and Jedrychowski, Mark P. and Moore, Craig Stephen and Cialic, Ron and Lanser, Amanda J. and Gabriely, Galina and Koeglsperger, Thomas and Dake, Ben and Wu, Pauline M. and Doykan, Camille E. and Fanek, Zain and Liu, Liping and Chen, Zhuoxun and Rothstein, Jeffrey D. and Ransohoff, Richard M. and Gygi, Steven P. and Antel, Jack Perry and Weiner, Howard L.},
title = {{Identification of a unique TGF-β–dependent molecular and functional signature in microglia}},
journal = {Nature Neuroscience},
year = {2013},
doi = {10.1038/nn.3599},
pmid = {24316888},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3599}
}