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Investigation of Spatial Interaction Between Astrocytes and Neurons in Cleared Brains

Investigation of Spatial Interaction Between Astrocytes and Neurons in Cleared Brains

Published on: March 31, 2022

Improved tools to study astrocytes.

Xinzhu Yu¹, Jun Nagai¹, Baljit S Khakh^2,3

¹Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Nature Reviews. Neuroscience

|February 12, 2020

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New tools now allow researchers to study astrocytes, a type of glial cell, in the adult central nervous system (CNS). This review details these advancements for understanding astrocyte functions in health and brain disorders.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cell Biology
Neuroimmunology

Background:

Astrocytes are glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS) that interact with neurons, other glial cells, and blood vessels.
They play roles in brain function and are implicated in various neurological disorders.
Current understanding of astrocyte functions and their influence on neural circuits is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

To review recent advancements in tools for studying astrocytes in vivo.
To discuss how these tools address limitations in understanding astrocyte biology.
To summarize insights gained from applying these tools to astrocyte research.

Main Methods:

Development and adaptation of molecular, genetic, morphological, and physiological assessment tools.

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Last Updated: Dec 28, 2025

Investigation of Spatial Interaction Between Astrocytes and Neurons in Cleared Brains

Investigation of Spatial Interaction Between Astrocytes and Neurons in Cleared Brains

Published on: March 31, 2022

Protocol for Three-dimensional Confocal Morphometric Analysis of Astrocytes

Protocol for Three-dimensional Confocal Morphometric Analysis of Astrocytes

Published on: December 11, 2015

Analysis of Astrocyte Territory Volume and Tiling in Thick Free-Floating Tissue Sections

Analysis of Astrocyte Territory Volume and Tiling in Thick Free-Floating Tissue Sections

Published on: April 20, 2022

Application of these tools for in vivo studies in the adult vertebrate CNS.

Systematic documentation and interrogation of astrocyte biology.

Main Results:

Improved tools enable detailed exploration of astrocyte functions in vivo.
Recent advancements overcome previous limitations in studying astrocytes.
New insights into astrocyte roles in neural circuit operations are emerging.

Conclusions:

Advanced tools are crucial for dissecting the complex functions of astrocytes.
These tools facilitate a deeper understanding of astrocyte involvement in brain disorders.
Continued application of these methods will advance astrocyte biology and CNS research.