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Updated: Jun 6, 2026

A Cell Culture Model for Studying the Role of Neuron-Glia Interactions in Ischemia
Published on: November 14, 2020
Role of astrocytes in brain function and disease
Marta Sidoryk-Wegrzynowicz1, Michal Wegrzynowicz, Eunsook Lee
1Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232-0414, USA.
Abstract:
Astrocytes assume multiple roles in maintaining an optimally suited milieu for neuronal function. Select astrocytic functions include the maintenance of redox potential, the production of trophic factors, the regulation of neurotransmitter and ion concentrations, and the removal of toxins and debris from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Impairments in these and other functions, as well as physiological reactions of astrocytes to injury, can trigger or exacerbate neuronal dysfunction. This review addresses select metabolic interactions between neurons and astrocytes and emphasizes the role of astrocytes in mediating and amplifying the progression of several neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), hepatic encephalopathy (HE), hyperammonemia (HA), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and ischemia.
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