School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.
Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2011 Apr;22(2):237-44. doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2011.02.024. Epub 2011 Mar 21.
Hypothalamic tanycytes are cells that line the walls of the 3rd ventricle. Their cell bodies contact the cerebrospinal fluid and give rise to an inwardly directed process. The more dorsally located (α1 and α2) tanycytes project to areas of the brain involved in the control of feeding and energy balance (the arcuate nucleus and ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus). Although their functions are poorly understood, they have some similarities to glial cells. Recent evidence shows that they express key molecules involved in purinergic signaling and at least some tanycytes may act as adult multipotent stem cells. Emerging evidence suggests that tanycytes signal through changes in intracellular Ca(2+) and that they can respond with large Ca(2+) signals to ATP and transmitters associated with wakefulness and the drive to feed. They are also glucosensitive and this response is dependent on release of ATP from tanycytes and the activation of P2Y1 receptors. Their ability to release ATP gives potential for their integration into the hypothalamic circuitry controlling energy balance and feeding, but many fundamental questions about their possible functions and roles remain unanswered.
下丘脑室管膜细胞是排列在第三脑室壁上的细胞。它们的细胞体接触脑脊液，并产生向内的突起。位于更背侧的（α1 和 α2）室管膜细胞投射到参与进食和能量平衡控制的脑区（弓状核和下丘脑腹内侧核）。尽管它们的功能尚未完全了解，但它们与神经胶质细胞有一些相似之处。最近的证据表明，它们表达参与嘌呤能信号转导的关键分子，并且至少一些室管膜细胞可能充当成体多能干细胞。新出现的证据表明，室管膜细胞通过细胞内 Ca(2+)的变化发出信号，并且它们可以对与觉醒和进食驱动力相关的 ATP 和递质做出大的 Ca(2+)信号响应。它们还对葡萄糖敏感，这种反应依赖于室管膜细胞释放的 ATP 和 P2Y1 受体的激活。它们释放 ATP 的能力使其有可能整合到控制能量平衡和进食的下丘脑回路中，但关于它们可能的功能和作用仍有许多基本问题尚未得到解答。
