No Longer Underappreciated: The Emerging Concept of Astrocyte Heterogeneity in Neuroscience

No Longer Underappreciated: The Emerging Concept of Astrocyte Heterogeneity in Neuroscience

Astrocytes are ubiquitous in the central nervous system (CNS). These cells possess thousands of individual processes, which extend out into the neuropil, interacting with neurons, other glia and blood vessels. Paralleling the wide diversity of their interactions, astrocytes have been reported to pla...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Francisco Pestana, Gabriela Edwards-Faret, T. Grant Belgard, Araks Martirosyan, Matthew G. Holt
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-03-01
Series:Brain Sciences
Subjects:
astrocyte
heterogeneity
morphology
development
molecular profiling
physiology
function
injury and disease
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/10/3/168
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spelling doaj-dc191bd2363a4fabb4238f90dbd8996e2020-11-25T02:04:49ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252020-03-0110316810.3390/brainsci10030168brainsci10030168No Longer Underappreciated: The Emerging Concept of Astrocyte Heterogeneity in NeuroscienceFrancisco Pestana0Gabriela Edwards-Faret1T. Grant Belgard2Araks Martirosyan3Matthew G. Holt4Laboratory of Glia Biology, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumLaboratory of Neuronal Wiring, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumThe Bioinformatics CRO, Niceville, FL 32578, USALaboratory of Glia Biology, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumLaboratory of Glia Biology, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumAstrocytes are ubiquitous in the central nervous system (CNS). These cells possess thousands of individual processes, which extend out into the neuropil, interacting with neurons, other glia and blood vessels. Paralleling the wide diversity of their interactions, astrocytes have been reported to play key roles in supporting CNS structure, metabolism, blood-brain-barrier formation and control of vascular blood flow, axon guidance, synapse formation and modulation of synaptic transmission. Traditionally, astrocytes have been studied as a homogenous group of cells. However, recent studies have uncovered a surprising degree of heterogeneity in their development and function, in both the healthy and diseased brain. A better understanding of astrocyte heterogeneity is urgently needed to understand normal brain function, as well as the role of astrocytes in response to injury and disease.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/10/3/168astrocyteheterogeneitymorphologydevelopmentmolecular profilingphysiologyfunctioninjury and diseaseinjury and disease
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Francisco Pestana
Gabriela Edwards-Faret
T. Grant Belgard
Araks Martirosyan
Matthew G. Holt
spellingShingle Francisco Pestana
Gabriela Edwards-Faret
T. Grant Belgard
Araks Martirosyan
Matthew G. Holt
No Longer Underappreciated: The Emerging Concept of Astrocyte Heterogeneity in Neuroscience
Brain Sciences
astrocyte
heterogeneity
morphology
development
molecular profiling
physiology
function
injury and disease
injury and disease
author_facet Francisco Pestana
Gabriela Edwards-Faret
T. Grant Belgard
Araks Martirosyan
Matthew G. Holt
author_sort Francisco Pestana
title No Longer Underappreciated: The Emerging Concept of Astrocyte Heterogeneity in Neuroscience
title_short No Longer Underappreciated: The Emerging Concept of Astrocyte Heterogeneity in Neuroscience
title_full No Longer Underappreciated: The Emerging Concept of Astrocyte Heterogeneity in Neuroscience
title_fullStr No Longer Underappreciated: The Emerging Concept of Astrocyte Heterogeneity in Neuroscience
title_full_unstemmed No Longer Underappreciated: The Emerging Concept of Astrocyte Heterogeneity in Neuroscience
title_sort no longer underappreciated: the emerging concept of astrocyte heterogeneity in neuroscience
publisher MDPI AG
series Brain Sciences
issn 2076-3425
publishDate 2020-03-01
description Astrocytes are ubiquitous in the central nervous system (CNS). These cells possess thousands of individual processes, which extend out into the neuropil, interacting with neurons, other glia and blood vessels. Paralleling the wide diversity of their interactions, astrocytes have been reported to play key roles in supporting CNS structure, metabolism, blood-brain-barrier formation and control of vascular blood flow, axon guidance, synapse formation and modulation of synaptic transmission. Traditionally, astrocytes have been studied as a homogenous group of cells. However, recent studies have uncovered a surprising degree of heterogeneity in their development and function, in both the healthy and diseased brain. A better understanding of astrocyte heterogeneity is urgently needed to understand normal brain function, as well as the role of astrocytes in response to injury and disease.
topic astrocyte
heterogeneity
morphology
development
molecular profiling
physiology
function
injury and disease
injury and disease
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/10/3/168
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