Functional diversity of astrocytes in neural circuit regulation.

Nat Rev Neurosci
Authors
Abstract

Although it is well established that all brain regions contain various neuronal subtypes with different functions, astrocytes have traditionally been thought to be homogenous. However, recent evidence has shown that astrocytes in the mammalian CNS display distinct inter- and intra-regional features, as well as functional diversity. In the CNS, astrocyte processes fill the local environment in non-overlapping domains. Therefore, a potential advantage of region-specified astrocytes might be their capacity to regulate local development or optimize local neural circuit function. An overview of the regional heterogeneity of neuron-astrocyte interactions indicates novel ways in which they could regulate normal neurological function and shows how they might become dysregulated in disease.

Year of Publication
2017
Journal
Nat Rev Neurosci
Volume
18
Issue
1
Pages
31-41
Date Published
2017 01
ISSN
1471-0048
DOI
10.1038/nrn.2016.159
PubMed ID
27904142
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