Faculty of Life Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
ASN Neuro. 2012 Apr 5;4(3):e00082. doi: 10.1042/AN20120010.
Diseases of the human brain are almost universally attributed to malfunction or loss of nerve cells. However, a considerable amount of work has, during the last decade, expanded our view on the role of astrocytes in CNS (central nervous system), and this analysis suggests that astrocytes contribute to both initiation and propagation of many (if not all) neurological diseases. Astrocytes provide metabolic and trophic support to neurons and oligodendrocytes. Here, we shall endeavour a broad overviewing of the progress in the field and forward the idea that loss of homoeostatic astroglial function leads to an acute loss of neurons in the setting of acute insults such as ischaemia, whereas more subtle dysfunction of astrocytes over periods of months to years contributes to epilepsy and to progressive loss of neurons in neurodegenerative diseases. The majority of therapeutic drugs currently in clinical use target neuronal receptors, channels or transporters. Future therapeutic efforts may benefit by a stronger focus on the supportive homoeostatic functions of astrocytes.
人类大脑疾病几乎普遍归因于神经细胞的功能障碍或丧失。然而，在过去十年中，大量的工作扩展了我们对星形胶质细胞在中枢神经系统（CNS）中的作用的看法，这一分析表明星形胶质细胞有助于许多（如果不是全部）神经疾病的起始和传播。星形胶质细胞为神经元和少突胶质细胞提供代谢和营养支持。在这里，我们将努力全面概述该领域的进展，并提出这样的观点，即星形胶质细胞的内稳态功能丧失会导致急性缺血等急性损伤时神经元的急性丧失，而数月至数年的星形胶质细胞更微妙的功能障碍会导致癫痫和神经退行性疾病中神经元的进行性丧失。目前临床上使用的大多数治疗药物都针对神经元受体、通道或转运体。未来的治疗努力可能会受益于更加强调星形胶质细胞的支持性内稳态功能。
