SnapShot: Astrocytes in Health and Disease

Shane Liddelow; Ben Barres

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2015.08.029

SnapShot: Astrocytes in Health and Disease

Cell. 2015 Aug 27;162(5):1170-1170.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.08.029.

Authors

Shane Liddelow¹, Ben Barres²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
² Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.

PMID: 26317476
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.08.029

Abstract

Astrocytes are central nervous system (CNS) glial cells with many important functions for normal development and neural functioning. They help control extracellular ion and neurotransmitter concentrations; provide neurotrophic support; are implicated in synapse formation, function, and pruning; and help maintain the blood-brain barrier. Following injury and in disease, they undergo rapid and chronic alterations in function that can either promote or hinder recovery, depending on the disease.

MeSH terms

Animals
Astrocytes / metabolism*
Central Nervous System Diseases / pathology*
Humans
Neuroglia / metabolism