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Isolation and Culture of Mouse Cortical Astrocytes
Published on: January 19, 2013
The roles of cortical astrocytes in chronic pain and other brain pathologies
Kei Eto1, Sun Kwang Kim2, Ikuko Takeda3
1Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Department of Physiological Sciences, The Graduate School for Advanced Studies, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan.
Abstract:
Astrocytes are the most abundant cell type in the brain. Several decades ago, they were considered to be only support cells in the central nervous system. Recent studies using advanced technologies have clarified that astrocytes play more active roles in regulating neuronal function and remodeling synaptic structures by releasing molecules called gliotransmitters. In addition to various physiological functions, astrocytes are activated under disease conditions, such as chronic pain, releasing molecules that in turn cause reorganization of the central nervous system microstructure and disrupt behavior in pathological conditions. In the present review, we summarize cortical astrocyte function in chronic pain and other neurological disorders and discuss the role of astrocytes in brain pathologies.
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