| Description |
Microglia are the immune system of the brain. They are critical players in the proper functioning of the neural tissues and therefore, essential for normal animal behavior. Immunological dysfunction has been heavily implicated in majority of the neurological disorders, either as a direct cause or as an indirect effect. As a result, a large body of research is centered around microglia - studying their origins, development and dynamics, their interactions with neurons and the other neuroglia, and their role in disease pathology. In the current study, we have explored the origin, characteristics, and functions of a previously unidentified subpopulation of microglia in the mouse brain, known as the "Hoxb8 microglia." Based on earlier findings from this lab, this microglial population has been implicated in the pathology of Trichotillomania, an obsessive compulsive-spectrum disorder (OCD). In fact, "Hoxb8 knockout mice" have been shown to exhibit an overgrooming phenotype and therefore, have been established as a disease model for Trichotillomania. This dissertation has been dedicated to the study of Hoxb8 microglia in both wild-type and Hoxb8 knockout mice. Understanding the behavior of Hoxb8 microglia in healthy and diseased brains might shed light onto the mechanisms that drive such neuropsychiatric disorders, and possibly provide answers with respect to the pathology of other neurological conditions. |
