Last reviewed: June 1, 2026
2015Journal of Experimental Medicine
TREM2 macrophage survival signals are required for normal brain homeostasis
Wang Y, Cella M, Mallinson K, Ulrich JD, Young KL, et al.
Abstract summary
Showed that TREM2 signaling promotes microglial survival and proliferation through PI3K/AKT pathway activation. TREM2-deficient mice show reduced microglial numbers in some brain regions. The paper placed TREM2 as a central survival factor for brain-resident macrophages.
Evidence labels
animal modelin vitro assayhuman genetics
Targets
Diseases
- Alzheimer's disease
- Brain aging
Species
mouse, human
Methods
flow cytometry, RNA-seq, cell culture
Therapeutic relevance
Established mechanistic rationale for TREM2 agonism as a strategy to support microglial survival and homeostasis.
Last reviewed: June 1, 2026