近日，美国维吉尼亚大学Sarah Kucenas课题组的研究发现，在发育中的神经系统中，迁移神经嵴细胞（NCC）能够吞噬死亡细胞。相关论文2019年9月5日在线发表在《细胞》上。

研究人员介绍，在神经管闭合和脊髓发育过程中，许多细胞在中枢神经系统和外周神经系统（分别为CNS和PNS）中死亡。然而，在早期神经发育过程中，骨髓衍生的专业吞噬细胞尚未在躯干区域定殖。在这些阶段中如何从该区域清除凋亡细胞的，仍然未知。

在斑马鱼中使用实时成像技术，研究人员证明，神经嵴细胞对垂死细胞迅速应答并吞噬神经管周围的细胞碎片。另外，NCC具有通过马达出口点过渡区进入CNS并清除脊髓中碎片的能力。令人惊讶的是，NCC的吞噬作用在机理上类似于巨噬细胞的吞噬作用，并且它们对细胞碎片的募集是由白细胞介素-1β介导的。总之，研究结果揭示，在发育中的神经系统中，NCC在吞噬细胞出现之前，对碎片具有吞噬作用。

附：英文原文

Title: Migratory Neural Crest Cells Phagocytose Dead Cells in the Developing Nervous System

Author: Yunlu Zhu, Samantha C. Crowley, Andrew J. Latimer, Gwendolyn M. Lewis, Rebecca Nash, Sarah Kucenas

Issue&Volume: 5 September 2019

Abstract: During neural tube closure and spinal cord development, many cells die in both the central and peripheral nervous systems (CNS and PNS, respectively). However, myeloid-derived professional phagocytes have not yet colonized the trunk region during early neurogenesis. How apoptotic cells are removed from this region during these stages remains largely unknown. Using live imaging in zebrafish, we demonstrate that neural crest cells (NCCs) respond rapidly to dying cells and phagocytose cellular debris around the neural tube. Additionally, NCCs have the ability to enter the CNS through motor exit point transition zones and clear debris in the spinal cord. Surprisingly, NCCs phagocytosis mechanistically resembles macrophage phagocytosis and their recruitment toward cellular debris is mediated by interleukin-1β. Taken together, our results reveal a role for NCCs in phagocytosis of debris in the developing nervous system before the presence of professional phagocytes.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.08.001

Source: https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(19)30889-X