Astrocytes in (Patho)Physiology of the Nervous System

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xix

   PDF

2. Astrocyte Heterogeneity or Homogeneity?

   • Harold K. Kimelberg

   Pages 1-25

3. Neural Stem Cells Disguised as Astrocytes

   • Rebecca A. Ihrie, Arturo Alvarez-Buylla

   Pages 27-47

4. Neurotransmitter Receptors in Astrocytes

   • Alexei Verkhratsky

   Pages 49-67

5. Specialized Neurotransmitter Transporters in Astrocytes

   • Yongjie Yang, Jeffrey D. Rothstein

   Pages 69-105

6. Connexin Expression (Gap Junctions and Hemichannels) in Astrocytes

   • Eliana Scemes, David C. Spray

   Pages 107-150

7. Regulation of potassium by glial cells in the centralnervous system

   • Paulo Kofuji, Eric A. Newman

   Pages 151-175

8. Energy and Amino Acid Neurotransmitter Metabolism in Astrocytes

   • Helle S. Waagepetersen, Ursula Sonnewald, Arne Schousboe

   Pages 177-200

9. Calcium ion signaling in astrocytes

   • Joachim W. Deitmer, Karthika Singaravelu, Christian Lohr

   Pages 201-224

10. Astrocytes in Control of the Biophysical Properties of Extracellular Space

    • Lydia Vargova, Eva Sykova

    Pages 225-250

11. Structural association of astrocytes with neurons and vasculature: Defining territorial boundaries

    • Andreas Reichenbach, Hartwig Wolburg

    Pages 251-286

12. Synaptic Information Processing by Astrocytes

    • Gertrudis Perea, Alfonso Araque

    Pages 287-300

13. Mechanisms of transmitter release from astrocytes

    • Erik B. Malarkey, Vladimir Parpura

    Pages 301-350

14. Release of Trophic Factors and Immune Molecules from Astrocytes

    • Ying Y. Jean, Issa P. Bagayogo, Cheryl F. Dreyfus

    Pages 351-381

15. Molecular approaches for studying astrocytes

    • Todd Fiacco, Kristi Casper, Elizabeth Sweger, Cendra Agulhon, Sarah Taves, Suzanne Kurtzer-Minton et al.

    Pages 383-405

16. The tripartite synapse

    • Michael M. Halassa, Philip G. Haydon

    Pages 407-415

17. Glia-derived D-serine and synaptic plasticity

    • Magalie Martineau, Stéphane H.R. Oliet, Jean-Pierre Mothet

    Pages 417-441

18. Purinergic signaling in astrocyte function and interactions with neurons

    • R. Douglas Fields

    Pages 443-460

19. Astrocyte control of blood flow

    • Grant R.J. Gordon, Sean J. Mulligan, Brian A. MacVicar

    Pages 461-486

20. A Role for Glial Cells of the Neuroendocrine Brain in the Central Control of Female Sexual Development

    • Alejandro Lomniczi, Sergio R. Ojeda

    Pages 487-511

Astrocytes were the original neuroglia that Ramón y Cajal visualized in 1913 using a gold sublimate stain. This stain targeted intermediate filaments that we now know consist mainly of glial fibrillary acidic protein, a protein used today as an astrocytic marker. Cajal described the morphological diversity of these cells with some ast- cytes surrounding neurons, while the others are intimately associated with vasculature. We start the book by discussing the heterogeneity of astrocytes using contemporary tools and by calling into question the assumption by classical neuroscience that neurons and glia are derived from distinct pools of progenitor cells. Astrocytes have long been neglected as active participants in intercellular communication and information processing in the central nervous system, in part due to their lack of electrical excitability. The follow up chapters review the “nuts and bolts” of ast- cytic physiology; astrocytes possess a diverse assortment of ion channels, neu- transmitter receptors, and transport mechanisms that enable the astrocytes to respond to many of the same signals that act on neurons. Since astrocytes can detect chemical transmitters that are released from neurons and can release their own extracellular signals there is an increasing awareness that they play physiological roles in regulating neuronal activity and synaptic transmission. In addition to these physiological roles, it is becoming increasingly recognized that astrocytes play critical roles during pathophysiological states of the nervous system; these states include gliomas, Alexander disease, and epilepsy to mention a few.

• Nervous System
• astrocytes
• glial cell
• information processing
• neurons
• physiology
• regulation

Policies and ethics