Astrocyte–Neuron Networks: A Multilane Highway of Signaling for Homeostatic Brain Function
Research on glial cells over the past 30 years has confirmed the critical role of astrocytes in pathophysiological brain states. However, most of our knowledge about astrocyte physiology and of the interactions between astrocytes and neurons is based on the premises that astrocytes constitute a homo...
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-11-01
|
Series: | Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnsyn.2018.00045/full |
id |
doaj-c73c972a8da5419a80520f9da5b68ca0 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-c73c972a8da5419a80520f9da5b68ca02020-11-24T21:29:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience1663-35632018-11-011010.3389/fnsyn.2018.00045404299Astrocyte–Neuron Networks: A Multilane Highway of Signaling for Homeostatic Brain FunctionSara MederosCandela González-AriasGertrudis PereaResearch on glial cells over the past 30 years has confirmed the critical role of astrocytes in pathophysiological brain states. However, most of our knowledge about astrocyte physiology and of the interactions between astrocytes and neurons is based on the premises that astrocytes constitute a homogeneous cell type, without considering the particular properties of the circuits or brain nuclei in which the astrocytes are located. Therefore, we argue that more-sophisticated experiments are required to elucidate the specific features of astrocytes in different brain regions, and even within different layers of a particular circuit. Thus, in addition to considering the diverse mechanisms used by astrocytes to communicate with neurons and synaptic partners, it is necessary to take into account the cellular heterogeneity that likely contributes to the outcomes of astrocyte–neuron signaling. In this review article, we briefly summarize the current data regarding the anatomical, molecular and functional properties of astrocyte–neuron communication, as well as the heterogeneity within this communication.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnsyn.2018.00045/fullastrocytesbehaviorneuron–glia signalingsynaptic plasticityheterogeneity |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Sara Mederos Candela González-Arias Gertrudis Perea |
spellingShingle |
Sara Mederos Candela González-Arias Gertrudis Perea Astrocyte–Neuron Networks: A Multilane Highway of Signaling for Homeostatic Brain Function Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience astrocytes behavior neuron–glia signaling synaptic plasticity heterogeneity |
author_facet |
Sara Mederos Candela González-Arias Gertrudis Perea |
author_sort |
Sara Mederos |
title |
Astrocyte–Neuron Networks: A Multilane Highway of Signaling for Homeostatic Brain Function |
title_short |
Astrocyte–Neuron Networks: A Multilane Highway of Signaling for Homeostatic Brain Function |
title_full |
Astrocyte–Neuron Networks: A Multilane Highway of Signaling for Homeostatic Brain Function |
title_fullStr |
Astrocyte–Neuron Networks: A Multilane Highway of Signaling for Homeostatic Brain Function |
title_full_unstemmed |
Astrocyte–Neuron Networks: A Multilane Highway of Signaling for Homeostatic Brain Function |
title_sort |
astrocyte–neuron networks: a multilane highway of signaling for homeostatic brain function |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience |
issn |
1663-3563 |
publishDate |
2018-11-01 |
description |
Research on glial cells over the past 30 years has confirmed the critical role of astrocytes in pathophysiological brain states. However, most of our knowledge about astrocyte physiology and of the interactions between astrocytes and neurons is based on the premises that astrocytes constitute a homogeneous cell type, without considering the particular properties of the circuits or brain nuclei in which the astrocytes are located. Therefore, we argue that more-sophisticated experiments are required to elucidate the specific features of astrocytes in different brain regions, and even within different layers of a particular circuit. Thus, in addition to considering the diverse mechanisms used by astrocytes to communicate with neurons and synaptic partners, it is necessary to take into account the cellular heterogeneity that likely contributes to the outcomes of astrocyte–neuron signaling. In this review article, we briefly summarize the current data regarding the anatomical, molecular and functional properties of astrocyte–neuron communication, as well as the heterogeneity within this communication. |
topic |
astrocytes behavior neuron–glia signaling synaptic plasticity heterogeneity |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnsyn.2018.00045/full |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT saramederos astrocyteneuronnetworksamultilanehighwayofsignalingforhomeostaticbrainfunction AT candelagonzalezarias astrocyteneuronnetworksamultilanehighwayofsignalingforhomeostaticbrainfunction AT gertrudisperea astrocyteneuronnetworksamultilanehighwayofsignalingforhomeostaticbrainfunction |
_version_ |
1725964832837992448 |