REDUCED NUMBER AND ALTERED MORPHOLOGY OF MICROGLIAL CELLS IN COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR-1-DEFICIENT OSTEOPETROTIC OP OP MICE/

The numerical density of microglial cells is reduced by 47% in the cor pus callosum, by 37% in the parietal cortex and by 34% in the frontal cortex of mice mutant at the op locus which are totally devoid of colo ny stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1), the major growth factor for macrophag es. Moreover, microglia in the frontal cortex of the op/op mice are sm aller and have shorter cytoplasmic processes compared to control mice. Study suggests that CSF-1 plays a role in vivo in the formation and m aturation of microglia and has Little or no effect on perivascular cel ls. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.