Physiological sex differences in microglia and their relevance in neurological disorders

Abstract

Microglia are the resident immune cells in the brain and maintain homeostasis and functionality of this tissue. These cells are key producers of immune mediators, such as cytokines and chemokines, are critical for normal brain development, and affect neurogenesis, axonal migration, synapse formation and function, and programmed cell death, among others. Sex differences exist in many of these processes throughout brain development up to adulthood and the aged brain. In the last few years, sex differences in microglia responses, brain colonization, and number and morphology within the developing brain have drawn the attention of researchers as a potential explanation to the sex differences in the brain and due to their potential relevance in the incidence, prevalence, and outcome of many neurological disorders. In this review, we summarize the sex differences of microglial cell functions and their potential relevance in physiological as well as pathological conditions in the brain.