School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA. Electronic address: https://twitter.com/beatriztc.
School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2022 Jun;74:102550. doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.102550. Epub 2022 May 8.
Astrocytes represent an abundant type of glial cell involved in nearly every aspect of central nervous system (CNS) function, including synapse formation and maturation, ion and neurotransmitter homeostasis, blood-brain barrier maintenance, as well as neuronal metabolic support. These various functions are enabled by the morphological complexity that astrocytes adopt. Recent experimental advances in genetic and viral labeling, lineage tracing, and live- and ultrastructural imaging of miniscule astrocytic sub-compartments reveal a complex morphological heterogeneity that is based on the origin, local function, and environmental context in which astrocytes reside. In this minireview, we highlight recent findings that reveal the plastic nature of astrocytes in the healthy brain, particularly at the synapse, and emerging technologies that have advanced our understanding of these morphologically complex cells.
星形胶质细胞是一种丰富的神经胶质细胞类型，参与中枢神经系统 (CNS) 功能的几乎各个方面，包括突触形成和成熟、离子和神经递质稳态、血脑屏障维持以及神经元代谢支持。星形胶质细胞的形态复杂性使其能够实现这些各种功能。最近在遗传和病毒标记、谱系追踪以及微小星形胶质细胞亚区的活体和超微结构成像方面的实验进展揭示了一种复杂的形态异质性，这种异质性基于星形胶质细胞的起源、局部功能以及所处的环境背景。在这篇综述中，我们强调了最近的发现，这些发现揭示了健康大脑中星形胶质细胞的可塑性，特别是在突触处，以及新兴技术如何促进我们对这些形态复杂细胞的理解。
