http://nro.sagepub.com/content/19/6/604.abstract?etoc
- 1A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- 2School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
- H. Rheinallt Parri, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK. Email: parrihr@aston.ac.uk
Abstract
Astrocytes are increasingly implicated in a
range of functions in the brain, many of which were previously ascribed
to neurons.
Much of the prevailing interest centers on the role
of astrocytes in the modulation of synaptic transmission and their
involvement
in the induction of forms of plasticity such as
long-term potentiation and long-term depression. However, there is also
an
increasing realization that astrocytes themselves
can undergo plasticity. This plasticity may be manifest as changes in
protein
expression which may modify calcium activity within
the cells, changes in morphology that affect the environment of the
synapse
and the extracellular space, or changes in gap
junction astrocyte coupling that modify the transfer of ions and
metabolites
through astrocyte networks. Plasticity in the way
that astrocytes release gliotransmitters can also have direct effects on
synaptic activity and neuronal excitability.
Astrocyte plasticity can potentially have profound effects on neuronal
network
activity and be recruited in pathological
conditions. An emerging principle of astrocyte plasticity is that it is
often induced
by neuronal activity, reinforcing our emerging
understanding of the working brain as a constant interaction between
neurons
and glial cells.
No comments:
Post a Comment