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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Improved 3D Hydrogel Cultures of Primary Glial Cells for In Vitro Modelling of Neuroinflammation
Published on: December 8, 2017
Glial cell inclusions and the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases
David W Miller1, Mark R Cookson, Dennis W Dickson
1Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892-1589, USA.
Abstract:
In this review, we discuss examples that show how glial-cell pathology is increasingly recognized in several neurodegenerative diseases. We also discuss the more provocative idea that some of the disorders that are currently considered to be neurodegenerative diseases might, in fact, be due to primary abnormalities in glia. Although the mechanism of glial pathology (i.e. modulating glutamate excitotoxicity) might be better established for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a role for neuronal-glial interactions in the pathogenesis of most neurodegenerative diseases is plausible. This burgeoning area of neuroscience will receive much attention in the future and it is expected that further understanding of basic neuronal-glial interactions will have a significant impact on the understanding of the fundamental nature of human neurodegenerative disorders.
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