Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, USA; email:
Department of Pathology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, USA.
Annu Rev Pathol. 2018 Jan 24;13:379-394. doi: 10.1146/annurev-pathol-051217-111018.
The central nervous system (CNS) is unique in being the only organ system lacking lymphatic vessels to assist in the removal of interstitial metabolic waste products. Recent work has led to the discovery of the glymphatic system, a glial-dependent perivascular network that subserves a pseudolymphatic function in the brain. Within the glymphatic pathway, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) enters the brain via periarterial spaces, passes into the interstitium via perivascular astrocytic aquaporin-4, and then drives the perivenous drainage of interstitial fluid (ISF) and its solute. Here, we review the role of the glymphatic pathway in CNS physiology, the factors known to regulate glymphatic flow, and the pathologic processes in which a breakdown of glymphatic CSF-ISF exchange has been implicated in disease initiation and progression. Important areas of future research, including manipulation of glymphatic activity aiming to improve waste clearance and therapeutic agent delivery, are also discussed.
中枢神经系统(CNS)是唯一缺乏淋巴管来协助清除间质代谢废物的器官系统。最近的研究发现了神经胶质淋巴系统,这是一种依赖于神经胶质的血管周网络,在大脑中具有类淋巴功能。在神经胶质淋巴途径中,脑脊液(CSF)通过动脉周围间隙进入大脑,通过血管周星形细胞水通道蛋白 4 进入间质,然后驱动间质液(ISF)及其溶质的血管周围排出。在这里,我们回顾了神经胶质淋巴途径在中枢神经系统生理学中的作用、已知调节神经胶质淋巴流动的因素,以及在疾病发生和发展中与神经胶质 CSF-ISF 交换破裂有关的病理过程。还讨论了未来的重要研究领域,包括操纵神经胶质活性以提高废物清除率和治疗剂递送。