A common feature across these activated states is the upregulation of galectin-3 (Gal3), a β-galactoside-binding lectin that has emerged as a critical regulator of microglial activation and function in neurodegenerative diseases (Garcia-Revilla et al., 2022; Lozinski et al., 2024). Here, LGALS3 is linked to neurodegenerative disease.