Table 1 Immune properties of glia and neurons in the CNS

Innate immunity

PRRs

High [16–19]

High [20]

Low [21]

Phagocytic receptors

High [16–19]

Low [20]

Unknown

Cytokine production

Pro-inflammatory

Yes [16–19]

Yes [10, 20, 22]

Yes [8, 23]

Anti-inflammatory

Yes [16–19]

Yes [10, 20, 22]

Yes [23–28]

Adaptive immunity

MHC classes

I & II [17, 29] Inducible

I & II [22, 29–31] Low/inducible

I [32] Inducible

Co-stimulatory molecules

Inducible [17, 29]

Low/inducible

Unknown

Antigen presentation

Yes [17, 29]

Controversial [29]

Unknown

T-cell differentiation

Th1, Th2 [17, 29, 33]

Th2 [33, 34],

Largely unknown

Th1 [33, 34],

Treg [35, 36]

Induction of apoptosis

T cells

Yes [18, 29, 37–41]

Yes [18, 29, 37–41]

Yes [18, 29, 37–41]

Microglia

Yes [18, 29, 37–41] (self-limiting)

Yes [18, 29, 37–41]

Yes [18, 29, 37–41]