Neuroscience

Central nervous system

Biology

Neuroinflammation

Necroptosis

Haematopoiesis

Proinflammatory cytokine

Apoptosis

Regeneration (biology)

Immunology

Remyelination

Inflammation

Myelin

Stem cell

Microglia

Programmed cell death

Repopulation

Cell biology

Biochemistry

Medicine

Nature Neuroscience

Failed regeneration of CNS myelin contributes to clinical decline in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, for which there is an unmet therapeutic need. Here we reveal that efficient remyelination requires death of proinflammatory microglia followed by repopulation to a pro-regenerative state. We propose that impaired microglia death and/or repopulation may underpin dysregulated microglia activation in neurological diseases, and we reveal therapeutic targets to promote white matter regeneration. Lloyd et al. find that regeneration of CNS myelin requires death of proinflammatory microglia followed by repopulation to a pro-regenerative state, revealing new therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative disease.

Central nervous system regeneration is driven by microglia necroptosis and repopulation