Introductions: 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. Methods: in this study organotypic brain slice cultures under serum free condition were used to investigate the morphology and lectin histochemistry of microglia and macrophages in CNS in vitro. Results: microglial cells exhibited dramatic morphological changes in the organotypic brain slice culture. Immediately after slicing microglias were seen to have the same morphology as they do in the intact brain: they had small cell bodies from which radiated several highly ramified processes. After 1 day in vitro all microglia transformed into an active form with round soma and no processes. At 5 days in vitro, and especially at 9 days in vitro, many of the microglia had tended to return to the ramified phenotype. The expression of different carbohydrates was examined at the 0, 1, 5 and 9 days in vitro time periods by employing Lycopersicon esculentum tomato lectin (LEL lectins), and Sambucus nigra also called Elderberry bark lectin (SNA). Conclusions: Microglial cells with different morphology intensely stained with LEA . SNA stained the ramified microglia only after they re-ramified at 5 DIV and 9 DIV. The results of this study confirmed that the expression of carbohydrate structures on these cells would undergo changes commensurate with the changes in morphology.

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