Functions of Astrocytes and their Potential As Therapeutic Targets

Abstract

Summary:Astrocytes are often referred to, and historically have been regarded as, support cells of the mammalian CNS. Work over the last decade suggests otherwise-that astrocytes may in fact play a more active role in higher neural processing than previously recognized. Because astrocytes can potentially serve as novel therapeutic targets, it is critical to understand how astrocytes execute their diverse supportive tasks while maintaining neuronal health. To that end, this review focuses on the supportive roles of astrocytes, a line of study relevant to essentially all acute and chronic neurological diseases, and critically re-evaluates our concepts of the functional properties of astrocytes and relates these functions and properties to the intricate morphology of these cells.

Manganese-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Detection of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Receptor 2 Agonist Therapy in a Model of Parkinson's Disease

“…Sections were counterstained with thionin, and quantification was assessed using stereological analysis. Differences in means (± SEM, n = 5-8) were determined by analysis of variance followed by Fisher's least significant difference post hoc test where p < 0.05 compared with groups treated with PBS (a) and MPTP (b) modulating glutamate and glutamine, and affecting neuronal synaptic transmission [50,51]. Neurons undergo extremely oxidative metabolism making them highly susceptible to injury, whereas astrocytes are affected by glycolytic metabolism and are much less susceptible to oxygen deprivation.…”

Nanomicellar formulation of coenzyme Q10 (Ubisol-Q10) effectively blocks ongoing neurodegeneration in the mouse 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine model: potential use as an adjuvant treatment in Parkinson's disease

“…9G), which might be considered as the additional evidence that activated actrocytes played an active role in the observed neuroprotection. Indeed, astrocytes can produce and release vasodilatory mediators, such as prostaglandins, nitric oxide, and arachidonic acid, which controls various aspects of the blood-brain barrier, including blood flow, metabolic trafficking, and water homeostasis (Kimelberg and Nedergaard, 2010;Simard et al, 2003;Takano et al, 2006).…”

Inflammation, Glutamate, and Glia: A Trio of Trouble in Mood Disorders

“…functions including providing neurotrophic support, maintaining synaptic homeostasis, regulating synaptic pruning, participating in neuron-glia signaling, coordinating neurometabolic coupling, mitigating oxidative stress, and the most relevant to the purpose of this review, modulating glutamate metabolism (Kimelberg and Nedergaard, 2010;Verkhratsky et al, 2015a). A brief overview of these functions is presented here, although the reader is referred to other, more comprehensive texts for a more detailed description of the various functions of astrocytes (Kettenmann and Ransom, 2012;Nedergaard et al, 2002;Verkharatsky and Butt, 2013;Verkhratsky et al, 2015a;Verkhratsky et al, 2014;Volterra and Meldolesi, 2005).…”