Three-Dimensional Environment Sustains Morphological Heterogeneity and Promotes Phenotypic Progression During Astrocyte Development.

ABSTRACT: Astrocytes are critical for coordinating normal brain function by regulating brain metabolic homeostasis, synaptogenesis and neurotransmission, and blood-brain barrier permeability and maintenance. Dysregulation of normal astrocyte ontogeny contributes to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, epilepsies, and adverse responses to injury. To achieve these multiple essential roles, astrocyte phenotypes are regionally, morphologically, and functionally heterogeneous. Therefore, the best regenerative medicine strategies may require selective production of distinct astrocyte subpopulations at defined maturation levels. However, little is known about the mechanisms that direct astrocyte diversity or whether heterogeneity is represented in biomaterials. In vitro studies report lack o

SUBMITTER: Balasubramanian S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4913501 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature