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Glial Cells01:04

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Microglia and Astrocyte Function and Communication: What Do We Know in Humans?

Emma F Garland1, Iain J Hartnell1, Delphine Boche1

  • 1Clinical Neurosciences, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.

Frontiers in Neuroscience
|March 7, 2022
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This review explores microglia-astrocyte crosstalk in human brains, examining how these glial cells communicate and coordinate functions. It highlights methods for studying this interaction in health and disease, identifying knowledge gaps.

Keywords:
Alzheimer’s diseaseastrocytesbiomarkersgeneticshumanmicroglianeuroinflmamation

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Microglia and astrocytes are key glial cells in the central nervous system, vital for homeostasis, immune response, and synaptic support.
  • Experimental models suggest microglia-astrocyte communication influences brain environment, but human relevance requires confirmation due to species differences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on microglia-astrocyte crosstalk specifically within human brains.
  • To explore and evaluate novel methodological techniques for studying this interaction in both healthy and diseased states.

Main Methods:

  • Review of cell culture, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and post-mortem studies.
  • Analysis of imaging, fluid biomarkers, genetics, and transcriptomic data for studying glial crosstalk.
  • Discussion of the advantages and limitations of each methodology.

Main Results:

  • Current methods provide insights into the communicative abilities of human microglia and astrocytes.
  • Significant knowledge gaps remain in fully understanding the complexities of human glial cell interactions.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding human microglia-astrocyte crosstalk is crucial for advancing neuroscience and neurology.
  • Further research employing diverse methodologies is needed to bridge existing knowledge gaps.