Mononuclear phagocytes represent a diverse group of innate myeloid immune cells in all tissues of the body. In the central nervous system (CNS), microglia represent the tissue resident macrophage population that is complemented by other macrophages in CNS-associated tissues such as the meninges or the perivascular space.

Complex organs, such as the eye, consist of different compartments, including the retina, choroid and cornea. These compartments can be viewed as niches that create a unique environment for specialized macrophage populations colonizing these tissues. An important feature is the interaction of macrophages with surrounding cells such as neurons, macroglia or endothelial cells, especially under pathological conditions.

Our goal is to unravel the complex nature of these macrophages, including microglia, during homeostasis and disease progression. To achieve this goal, we use state-of-the-art methods including flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, next generation sequencing and single-cell RNA-sequencing.