Katia Monsorno, An Buckinx, and Rosa C. Paolicelli
Microglia, the resident macrophages of the central nervous system (CNS), play important functions in the healthy and diseased brain. In the emerging field of immunometabolism, progress has been made in understanding how cellular metabolism can orchestrate the key responses of tissue macrophages, such as phagocytosis and inflammation. However, very little is known about the metabolic control of microglia. Lactate, now recognized as a crucial metabolite and a central substrate in metabolic flexibility, is emerging not only as a novel bioenergetic fuel for microglial metabolismbut also as a potential modulator of cellular function. Parallels with macrophages will help in understanding how microglial
lactate metabolism is implicated in brain physiology and pathology, and how it
could be targeted for therapeutic purposes.