Microglia play critical roles in the defense against neurodegenerative diseases. In this issue of Cell, Scheiblich et al. focus on microglia that ingest toxic aggregates of α-synuclein, finding that α-synuclein-replete microglia exchange aggregates for healthy mitochondria via nanotube connections to unaffected microglia. This communication enables a shared approach to aggregates disposal while preserving the health of the microglial population.
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