Microglia is an active player in how glibenclamide improves stroke outcome.

Glibenclamide has beneficial effects in animal models of cerebral ischemia. The cellular targets of glibenclamide are proposed to be neurons, endothelial cells, oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. However, independent studies have shown that the SUR1-formed ATP-dependent potassium (KATP) channels are expressed by microglia, which reinforces the idea that glibenclamide may also target microglia and modulate their inflammatory phenotype. This comment to ‘Sulfonylurea receptor 1 in central nervous system injury: a focused review’ provides new insights on the putative role of the microglial KATP channel in mediating, at least in part, the neuroprotective and neurorestorative effects of glibenclamide after stroke.