Cheng Xiaoyun, Wang Jin, Sun Xiao, Shao Lishi, Guo Zeyun, Li Yang
Kunming Medical University & The First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming, 650500, P. R. China.
Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, P. R. China.
J Integr Neurosci. 2019 Jun 30;18(2):203-215. doi: 10.31083/j.jin.2019.02.110.
Astrocytes, one of the most abundant and heterogeneous types of glial cell in the brain and spinal cord, are responsible for various essential functions in the healthy central nervous system, including maintaining the blood brain barrier integrity, regulating neuron differentiation and supporting, nourishing, protecting, insulating and repairing neurons. They also fulfill a range of other homeostatic maintenance functions. Astrocytes are activated after traumatic brain injury. They then exhibit heterogeneous gene expression and changes in morphology, proliferative capacity and various functions in response either acute or chronic brain injury and associated secondary brain injury. Some biomarkers and imaging tools have been used to monitor astrogliosis after traumatic brain injury. Initially, morphological characteristics and the physiology of astrocytes are reviewed. Subsequently, alterations of astrocytes are described, which includes both the complex mechanisms and roles of reactive astrocytes. The roles of biomarkers and signaling pathways following traumatic brain injury have been summarized as well as the morphological and functional changes in astrocytes. In the latter case, by considering astrocytes as therapeutic targets of traumatic brain injury, the mechanisms of the latest drug treatments are explained. This review highlights the beneficial effects of astrogliosis according to some recent findings, which provides new insights for the treatment of traumatic brain injury.
星形胶质细胞是脑和脊髓中最丰富、异质性最高的神经胶质细胞类型之一，在健康的中枢神经系统中发挥着多种重要功能，包括维持血脑屏障的完整性、调节神经元分化以及支持、滋养、保护、隔离和修复神经元。它们还履行一系列其他的稳态维持功能。在创伤性脑损伤后，星形胶质细胞会被激活。然后，它们会表现出异质性的基因表达以及形态、增殖能力和各种功能的变化，以应对急性或慢性脑损伤及相关的继发性脑损伤。一些生物标志物和成像工具已被用于监测创伤性脑损伤后的星形胶质细胞增生。本文首先综述了星形胶质细胞的形态特征和生理学。随后，描述了星形胶质细胞的改变，这包括反应性星形胶质细胞的复杂机制和作用。总结了创伤性脑损伤后生物标志物和信号通路的作用以及星形胶质细胞的形态和功能变化。在后一种情况下，通过将星形胶质细胞视为创伤性脑损伤的治疗靶点，解释了最新药物治疗的机制。根据一些最新研究结果，本综述强调了星形胶质细胞增生的有益作用，为创伤性脑损伤的治疗提供了新的见解。
