Astrocyte
Type of brain cell / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Astrocytes (from Ancient Greek ἄστρον, ástron, "star" and κύτος, kútos, "cavity", "cell"), also known collectively as astroglia, are characteristic star-shaped glial cells in the brain and spinal cord. They perform many functions, including biochemical control of endothelial cells that form the blood–brain barrier,[1] provision of nutrients to the nervous tissue, maintenance of extracellular ion balance, regulation of cerebral blood flow, and a role in the repair and scarring process of the brain and spinal cord following infection and traumatic injuries.[2] The proportion of astrocytes in the brain is not well defined; depending on the counting technique used, studies have found that the astrocyte proportion varies by region and ranges from 20% to around 40% of all glia.[3] Another study reports that astrocytes are the most numerous cell type in the brain.[2] Astrocytes are the major source of cholesterol in the central nervous system.[4] Apolipoprotein E transports cholesterol from astrocytes to neurons and other glial cells, regulating cell signaling in the brain.[4] Astrocytes in humans are more than twenty times larger than in rodent brains, and make contact with more than ten times the number of synapses.[5]
Astrocyte | |
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Details | |
Precursor | Glioblast |
Location | Brain and spinal cord |
Identifiers | |
Latin | astrocytus |
MeSH | D001253 |
NeuroLex ID | sao1394521419 |
TH | H2.00.06.2.00002, H2.00.06.2.01008 |
FMA | 54537 |
Anatomical terms of microanatomy |
Research since the mid-1990s has shown that astrocytes propagate intercellular Ca2+ waves over long distances in response to stimulation, and, similar to neurons, release transmitters (called gliotransmitters) in a Ca2+-dependent manner.[6] Data suggest that astrocytes also signal to neurons through Ca2+-dependent release of glutamate.[7] Such discoveries have made astrocytes an important area of research within the field of neuroscience.