Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026
11:36
A Cell Culture Model for Studying the Role of Neuron-Glia Interactions in Ischemia
Published on: November 14, 2020
Astrocytes--multitaskers in chronic pain
Rikke Rie Hansen1, Marzia Malcangio
1Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, Hodgkin Building, Guy's Campus, London, SE1 1UL, United Kingdom.
European Journal of Pharmacology
|March 27, 2013
Summary
Glial cells, particularly astrocytes, play a crucial role in chronic pain beyond neuronal activity. Understanding astrocyte functions is key to developing new pain management strategies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pain Research
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Chronic pain treatment is challenging due to limited pharmacological options and adverse effects.
- The role of glial cells, especially astrocytes, in pain generation and modulation is increasingly recognized.
- Astrocytes are macroglial cells with structural and functional connections to neurons, influencing neuronal activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the structural organization and functions of astrocytes in pain processing.
- To highlight the critical roles astrocytes play in the generation and modulation of chronic pain.
- To emphasize the diverse contributions of astrocytes to chronic pain mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on astrocyte biology and function in pain.
- Analysis of the structural relationships between astrocytes and neurons.
- Examination of astrocyte-mediated signaling pathways, including calcium waves and ATP release.
Main Results:
- Astrocytes directly influence and coordinate neuronal activity through their structural organization.
- Astrocytes form networks enabling calcium wave propagation, contributing to pain mechanisms.
- ATP released by astrocytes can activate purinergic receptors, implicated in central pain mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Astrocytes are critical players in chronic pain processing, not limited to a single pathway.
- Their diverse roles depend on the specific pain condition, offering potential therapeutic targets.
- Targeting astrocyte functions may provide novel strategies for managing chronic pain.
Related Concept Videos
01:04Glial Cells
Overview
01:31Nervous Tissue: Glial Cells
Glia, or neuroglia, are vital support cells that assist neurons in their functions. The term "glia" originates from the Greek word for "glue," reflecting their role in holding the nervous system together. These cells can be categorized into six types: four in the central nervous system (CNS) and two in the peripheral nervous system (PNS).
The CNS glial cell includes the astrocytes, the oligodendrocytes, the microglia, and the ependymal cells.
Astrocytes are star-shaped glial cells that interact...
The CNS glial cell includes the astrocytes, the oligodendrocytes, the microglia, and the ependymal cells.
Astrocytes are star-shaped glial cells that interact...
01:44Nociception
Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain. Thus, pain helps the...
01:25Analgesia and Pain Management
Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
01:30Neuron Structure
Neurons are the main type of cell in the nervous system that generate and transmit electrochemical signals. They primarily communicate with each other using neurotransmitters at specific junctions called synapses. Neurons come in many shapes that often relate to their function, but most share three main structures: an axon and dendrites that extend out from a cell body.
Structure and Function of Neurons
The neuronal cell body—the soma— houses the nucleus and organelles vital to cellular...
Structure and Function of Neurons
The neuronal cell body—the soma— houses the nucleus and organelles vital to cellular...
01:15Neurogenesis and Regeneration of Nervous Tissue
In the CNS, neurogenesis, the birth of new neurons from stem cells, is limited to the hippocampus in adults. In other regions of the brain and spinal cord, neurogenesis is almost non-existent due to inhibitory influences from neuroglia, especially oligodendrocytes, and the absence of growth-stimulating cues. The myelin produced by oligodendrocytes in the CNS inhibits neuronal regeneration. Furthermore, astrocytes proliferate rapidly after neuronal damage, forming scar tissue that physically...