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Microglia rescue neurons from aggregate-induced neuronal dysfunction and death through tunneling nanotubes
Scheiblich H, Eikens F, Wischhof L, Opitz S, Jüngling K, Cserép C, Schmidt SV, Lambertz J et al.. Neuron, 2024-07-25
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Microglia are crucial for maintaining brain health and neuron function. Here, we report that microglia establish connections with neurons using tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) in both physiological and pathological conditions. These TNTs facilitate the rapid exchange of organelles, vesicles, and proteins.
Key findings
- Here, we report that microglia establish connections with neurons using tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) in both physiological and pathological conditions.
- These TNTs facilitate the rapid exchange of organelles, vesicles, and proteins.
- In neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, toxic aggregates of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) and tau accumulate within neurons.
- Our research demonstrates that microglia use TNTs to extract neurons from these aggregates, restoring neuronal health.
Why it matters
This study reports that microglia connect to neurons through tunneling nanotubes and can remove toxic tau and alpha-synuclein aggregates, restoring neuronal health in lab conditions. It is early experimental work and does not show a treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's in people.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 57/100
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.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neuron) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neuron: journal h-index 689 (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 | 4 / 5 | 2024 — within 3 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 205 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 51.2 citations a year over 4 year(s) since 2024 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 28.0× 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 | 4 / 4 | Cited 205 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Michael Thomas Heneka: h-index 113 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | The University of Melbourne: institution h-index 1,342 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 13 institution(s) in 6 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39059388) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 57 / 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's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Scheiblich, H., Eikens, F., Wischhof, L., Opitz, S., Jüngling, K., Cserép, C., et al. (2024). Microglia rescue neurons from aggregate-induced neuronal dysfunction and death through tunneling nanotubes. Neuron. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2024.06.029
Vancouver
Scheiblich H, Eikens F, Wischhof L, Opitz S, Jüngling K, Cserép C, et al. Microglia rescue neurons from aggregate-induced neuronal dysfunction and death through tunneling nanotubes. Neuron. 2024. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2024.06.029. PMID: 39059388.
BibTeX
@article{scheiblich2024-39059388,
author = {Scheiblich, H. and Eikens, F. and Wischhof, L. and Opitz, S. and Jüngling, K. and Cserép, C. and Schmidt, S. V. and Lambertz, J. and others},
title = {{Microglia rescue neurons from aggregate-induced neuronal dysfunction and death through tunneling nanotubes}},
journal = {Neuron},
year = {2024},
doi = {10.1016/j.neuron.2024.06.029},
pmid = {39059388},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2024.06.029}
}
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