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Synaptic Pruning by Microglia Is Necessary for Normal Brain Development
Rosa Chiara Paolicelli, Giulia Bolasco, Francesca Pagani, Laura Maggi, Maria Scianni, Patrizia Panzanelli, Maurizio Giustetto, Tiago Ferreira, Eva Guiducci, Laura Dumas, Davide Ragozzino, Cornelius Thilo Gross. Science, 2011-07-21
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Microglia are highly motile phagocytic cells that infiltrate and take up residence in the developing brain, where they are thought to provide a surveillance and scavenging function. However, although microglia have been shown to engulf and clear damaged cellular debris after brain insult, it remains less clear what role microglia play in the uninjured brain. Here, we show that microglia actively engulf synaptic material and play a major role in synaptic pruning during postnatal development in mice. These findings link microglia surveillance to synaptic maturation and suggest that deficits in microglia function may contribute to synaptic abnormalities seen in some neurodevelopmental disorders.
Why it matters
In mice, microglia, cells that take up debris in the brain, engulfed synaptic material and played a major role in pruning synapses during development after birth. The authors suggest problems with microglia function may contribute to synapse abnormalities seen in some neurodevelopmental disorders.
How this study scored 60/100
Published in a top-tier 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 57 of the 95 points we could judge it on, which is 60 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 10 / 10 | Tier 1 — top-tier general journal (Science) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Science: journal h-index 1,754 (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 | 2011 — 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 4,248 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 249.9 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011 |
| Impact for its field and year | 6 / 6 | Cited 58.1× 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 1,066 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Cornelius Thilo Gross: h-index 52 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Sapienza University of Rome: institution h-index 1,145 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21778362) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 57 / 95 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 57 of the 95 points we could judge it on is 60 out of 100. |
| Total | 60 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1126/science.1202529
- PubMed: 21778362
- Original source →
- Free full text: Institutional Research Information System University of Turin (University of Turin) →
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 12 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
Paolicelli, R. C., Bolasco, G., Pagani, F., Maggi, L., Scianni, M., Panzanelli, P., et al. (2011). Synaptic Pruning by Microglia Is Necessary for Normal Brain Development. Science. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1202529
Vancouver
Paolicelli RC, Bolasco G, Pagani F, Maggi L, Scianni M, Panzanelli P, et al. Synaptic Pruning by Microglia Is Necessary for Normal Brain Development. Science. 2011. doi:10.1126/science.1202529. PMID: 21778362.
BibTeX
@article{paolicelli2011-21778362,
author = {Paolicelli, Rosa Chiara and Bolasco, Giulia and Pagani, Francesca and Maggi, Laura and Scianni, Maria and Panzanelli, Patrizia and Giustetto, Maurizio and Ferreira, Tiago and Guiducci, Eva and Dumas, Laura and Ragozzino, Davide and Gross, Cornelius Thilo},
title = {{Synaptic Pruning by Microglia Is Necessary for Normal Brain Development}},
journal = {Science},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1126/science.1202529},
pmid = {21778362},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1202529}
}
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