Astrocyte-to-astrocyte contact and a positive feedback loop of growth factor signaling regulate astrocyte maturation.

ABSTRACT: Astrocytes are critical for the development and function of the central nervous system. In developing brains, immature astrocytes undergo morphological, molecular, cellular, and functional changes as they mature. Although the mechanisms that regulate the maturation of other major cell types in the central nervous system such as neurons and oligodendrocytes have been extensively studied, little is known about the cellular and molecular mechanisms that control astrocyte maturation. Here, we identified molecular markers of astrocyte maturation and established an in vitro assay for studying the mechanisms of astrocyte maturation. Maturing astrocytes in vitro exhibit similar molecular changes and represent multiple molecular subtypes of astrocytes found in vivo. Using this system, we found that

SUBMITTER: Li J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6557696 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature