Göritz Christian, Mauch Daniela H, Nägler Karl, Pfrieger Frank W
Max-Planck/CNRS Group, UPR 2356, Centre de Neurochimie, 5, rue Blaise Pascal, F-67084 Strasbourg, France.
J Physiol Paris. 2002 Apr-Jun;96(3-4):257-63. doi: 10.1016/s0928-4257(02)00014-1.
Brain development and function relies on the exchange of signals between neurons and glial cells. Here we review a series of recent studies on cultures of purified retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) that point to a new role of glial cells in the formation and plasticity of synaptic connections. The results suggest that neurons must import glia-derived cholesterol via lipoproteins to form numerous and efficient synaptic connections. This finding may explain why throughout the central nervous system (CNS) the main phase of synaptogenesis starts synchronously after glia differentiation and why astrocytes produce apolipoprotein E (apoE) and cholesterol-containing lipoproteins. Experimental tests of these hypotheses may further our understanding of the cholesterol metabolism in the brain and may help to explain neurologic symptoms resulting from defective cholesterol and lipoprotein metabolism.
大脑的发育和功能依赖于神经元与神经胶质细胞之间的信号交换。在此，我们综述了一系列关于纯化视网膜神经节细胞（RGCs）培养的最新研究，这些研究指出了神经胶质细胞在突触连接形成和可塑性方面的新作用。结果表明，神经元必须通过脂蛋白导入神经胶质细胞衍生的胆固醇，以形成大量高效的突触连接。这一发现或许可以解释为何在整个中枢神经系统（CNS）中，突触形成的主要阶段在神经胶质细胞分化后同步启动，以及为何星形胶质细胞会产生载脂蛋白E（apoE）和含胆固醇的脂蛋白。对这些假说的实验验证可能会增进我们对大脑中胆固醇代谢的理解，并有助于解释因胆固醇和脂蛋白代谢缺陷导致的神经症状。
