Study shows that the translation of protein by microglia supports efficient phagocytosis

Recent studies have found that some cells of the brain, including neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, can transport pieces of the genetic code (RNA) from the nucleus out to their distal processes which may be several microns away, and then locally translate proteins from this code within the process itself. Yet whether microglia, immune cells that protect the brain from damage and disease, might be able to engage in this process remains poorly understood.