Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Annu Rev Physiol. 2010;72:335-55. doi: 10.1146/annurev-physiol-021909-135843.
The past decade has seen an explosion of research on roles of neuron-astrocyte interactions in the control of brain function. We highlight recent studies performed on the tripartite synapse, the structure consisting of pre- and postsynaptic elements of the synapse and an associated astrocytic process. Astrocytes respond to neuronal activity and neurotransmitters, through the activation of metabotropic receptors, and can release the gliotransmitters ATP, d-serine, and glutamate, which act on neurons. Astrocyte-derived ATP modulates synaptic transmission, either directly or through its metabolic product adenosine. d-serine modulates NMDA receptor function, whereas glia-derived glutamate can play important roles in relapse following withdrawal from drugs of abuse. Cell type-specific molecular genetics has allowed a new level of examination of the function of astrocytes in brain function and has revealed an important role of these glial cells that is mediated by adenosine accumulation in the control of sleep and in cognitive impairments that follow sleep deprivation.
过去十年中，神经元-星形胶质细胞相互作用在大脑功能控制中的作用的研究呈爆炸式增长。我们重点介绍了最近在三突触上进行的研究，该结构由突触的前突触和后突触元素以及相关的星形胶质细胞过程组成。星形胶质细胞通过代谢型受体的激活对神经元活动和神经递质做出反应，并可以释放作用于神经元的神经胶质递质 ATP、D-丝氨酸和谷氨酸。星形胶质细胞衍生的 ATP 通过其代谢产物腺苷直接或间接地调节突触传递。D-丝氨酸调节 NMDA 受体功能，而胶质衍生的谷氨酸在滥用药物戒断后复发中可能发挥重要作用。细胞类型特异性分子遗传学允许对星形胶质细胞在大脑功能中的作用进行新的水平的检查，并揭示了这些神经胶质细胞的重要作用，该作用通过在睡眠控制中腺苷积累和睡眠剥夺后认知障碍来介导。
