The research on microglia in the healthy and diseased brains has gained tremendous attention in recent years. Microglia has remarkably dynamic processes, constantly surveying the microenvironment in the brain. This raises an intriguing possibility that microglia interact frequently with neurons and monitor synaptic activities. Recent studies have apparently shown that microglia may integrate into neuronal circuits to play diverse roles in neural development, behavior, and pathology. Indeed, microglia research has changed the way we think about neural plasticity and increased our understanding of brain diseases associated with abnormal microglia.

We take a particular interest in reviews that summarize the microglia-neuron communication in the normal and diseased brains. Papers dealing with the microglial-synapse interaction in developing and mature brains would be of great interest. Moreover, topics on microglia function in the normal brains as well as those on microglia dysfunction in brain disease are welcome. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Microglia and synaptic plasticity
• Microglia and synaptic remodeling
• Microglia and brain diseases
• Microglia and angiogenesis
• Microglia ion channels and receptors
• Imaging microglia in live brains
• Macrophages and brain/spinal cord injury

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