Human SRGAP2 Gene Slows Microglia Maturation to 4-8 Years, Potentially Boosting Brainpower
Updated
Updated · SciTechDaily · Aug 11
Human SRGAP2 Gene Slows Microglia Maturation to 4-8 Years, Potentially Boosting Brainpower
1 articles · Updated · SciTechDaily · Aug 11
Summary
Human microglia take 4 to 8 years to mature, versus about three weeks in mice, after Columbia researchers linked the delay to human-specific copies of the SRGAP2 gene.
Nearly 10 times higher SRGAP2 activity in microglia than in neurons suggests the gene helps set a shared developmental tempo for immune cells and synapses as the human brain forms.
Microglia make up about 5% to 10% of brain cells and help prune or strengthen synapses, so their prolonged maturation could extend their influence over neural circuit building.
The Neuron study adds to earlier work showing SRGAP2 also slows synapse maturation while increasing synapse numbers, a combination tied to denser connections and stronger information processing.
Researchers now aim to trace how SRGAP2 drives neoteny across brain cell types, with possible implications for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases involving microglia.