Facilitation of microglial motility by thyroid hormones requires the presence of neurons in cell culture: A distinctive feature of the brainstem versus the cortex

•Thyroid hormones are crucial for normal brain development.•Thyroid hormones are effectors on microglia during development.•Microglial functions in lower brain regions (brainstem) are unknown.•Effect of T3 on microglial functions differs between brain areas.•Neurons are necessary for T3-induced microglial motility in the brainstem. Microglia are critical for the refinement of neural networks that takes place during the perinatal period. Their phenotype and actions are guided by the signals produced by neighbouring cells and hormones present in their surrounding milieu. Cell populations and the signals they produce differ between regions. The fact that thyroid hormones (THs) promote the growth and morphological differentiation of microglia within the cortex contributes to the TH’s powerful actions on the developing brain. The brainstem is especially active during early life owing to its role in generation of the rhythmic respiratory motor command. Despite evidences indicating that THs are necessary to proper development of the neural networks regulating this vital homeostatic function, their actions on microglia originating from the brainstem remain unknown. Using primary cultured microglia from newborn mice (C57BL/6J), we first report that regulation of microglial motility by THs is different between cortex and brainstem. Microglial motility (μm traveled over 3 h) was monitored with or without triiodothyronine (T3, 1μM). Exposure to T3 did not stimulate microglial motility from brainstem, but significantly stimulated (316 %) when they were co-cultured with neurons. Motility of cortex microglia was stimulated to the similar extent either with or without neurons. These data suggest that the microglial function in different regions of the brain is determined by the surrounding environment.