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Astroglial signalling in health and disease
Alexei Verkhratsky1, Robert Zorec2
1Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK; Center for Basic and Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Achucarro Center for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao, Spain; Celica, BIOMEDICAL, Technology Park 24, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Abstract:
Astrocytes, the neural homeostatic cells, play a key role in the information processing in the central nervous system. They express multiple receptors which respond to a number of chemical messengers and get excited as evidenced by an increase in second messengers in short and delayed time domains. Astrocytes secrete numerous neuroactive agents and mount various homeostatic responses. These signal integrating functions are key factors of neuropathology (better termed astroneuropathology): they provide for neuroprotection through both homeostatic support and astroglial reactivity; failure in astroglial defensive or supporting capabilities facilitates evolution of neurological disorders.
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