Microglia cells are a subset of central nervous system (CNS) macrophages. Changes in the CNS such as injury, or developmental events, follow by morphological and physiological changes in microglia cells. In this study characterising aspects of microglia and macrophages cell surface carbohydrates by using a range of lectins have been examined. The perfusion-fixed brain P13 and liver sections were used to compare brain phagocytes with terminally differentiated macrophages (Kuppfer cells). By employing four different lectins including LEA, SBA, ECL and SNA the expression of different carbohydrates was examined. The results of this study confirmed that the characterisation of carbohydrate structures might enable the identification of structures uniquely associated with particular macrophage and microglial phenotypes.

Keywords