ASTROCYTES: EMERGING STARS IN LEUKODYSTROPHY PATHOGENESIS.

ABSTRACT: Astrocytes are the predominant glial cell population in the central nervous system (CNS). Once considered only passive scaffolding elements, astrocytes are now recognised as cells playing essential roles in CNS development and function. They control extracellular water and ion homeostasis, provide substrates for energy metabolism, and regulate neurogenesis, myelination and synaptic transmission. Due to these multiple activities astrocytes have been implicated in almost all brain pathologies, contributing to various aspects of disease initiation, progression and resolution. Evidence is emerging that astrocyte dysfunction can be the direct cause of neurodegeneration, as shown in Alexander's disease where myelin degeneration is caused by mutations in the gene encoding the astrocyte-specific c

SUBMITTER: Lanciotti A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3856885 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature