Astrocytes actively support long-range molecular clock synchronization of segregated neuronal populations

Abstract

In mammals, the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus is the master circadian pacemaker that synchronizes the clocks in the central nervous system and periphery, thus orchestrating rhythms throughout the body. However, little is known about how so many cellular clocks within and across brain circuits can be effectively synchronized. In this work, we investigated the implication of two possible pathways: (i) astrocytes-mediated synchronization and (ii) neuronal paracrine factors-mediated synchronization. By taking advantage of a lab-on-a-chip microfluidic device developed in our laboratory, here we report that both pathways are involved. We found the paracrine factors-mediated synchronization of molecular clocks is diffusion-limited and, in our device, effective only in case of a short distance between neuronal populations. Interestingly, interconnecting astrocytes define an active signaling channel that can synchronize molecular clocks of neuronal populations also at longer distances. At mechanism level, we found that astrocytes-mediated synchronization involves both GABA and glutamate, while neuronal paracrine factors-mediated synchronization occurs through GABA signaling. These findings identify a previously unknown role of astrocytes as active cells that might distribute long-range signals to synchronize the brain clocks, thus further strengthening the importance of reciprocal interactions between glial and neuronal cells in the context of circadian circuitry.

Computational Modeling of Extrasynaptic NMDA Receptors: Insights into Dendritic Signal Amplification Mechanisms

“…Alternatively, an activation scenario could involve the selection of the optimal cluster based on its distance from the soma and inputs through mechanisms reminiscent of learning. Notwithstanding, astrocytes emerge as the plausible source of glutamate for exNMDA, given their established role in synchronizing processes across synapses and dendrites, including those involving exNMDA [48][49][50][51]. Ashhad and Narayanan (2016) demonstrated the influence of astrocytes on exNMDA through direct stimulation with I3P [36].…”