Fig. 2
From: New insights into the role of TREM2 in Alzheimer’s disease
Schematic summary of the role of TREM2 and its variants in AD. a. Functional TREM2 has been suggested to allow microglia activation (by amyloid and NFTs for example), promote microglia clustering around plaques, amyloid uptake (early stage of the disease) and plaque compaction through binding to plaque-associated ApoE or directly to oligomeric Aβ. b. AD-associated TREM2 variants resulting in TREM2 partial loss-of-function abolished microglia clustering around plaque and phagocytic activity. These changes could be caused by a blockage of microglia in homeostatic stages because of less plaque-associated ApoE or other reasons. The consequences are filamentous plaques associate with increased dystrophic neurites and a possible increase of tau pathology (in early stages)