Astrocytes are a cell type that is abundant in the brain and has many different functions. They interact with neurons and a lot of genes that are critical for these interactions have been implicated in many psychiatric neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. So in a collaboration with Lin...
Many different types of cells work together in the brain. In humans, nerve cells (neurons) make up less than half of the cells. The rest are called "glia." The most common glial cells are astrocytes. They supply the neurons with nutrients, form part of the blood-brain barrier, regulate ...
Indeed, as neurons and astrocytes use many similar transmitters, receptors and transporters, thereby limiting utilization of a glio- transmission selective pharmacology, the specific contribution of astrocytes to synaptic transmission and plasticity has been difficult to demonstrate direc...
Here are some of the types of tumors and a little about each of them: Astrocytomas These grow in star-shaped cells called astrocytes in thebrainand spinal cord. They belong to a group of tumors called gliomas. All gliomas grow from “glial cells,” which support and protect your nerve fib...
When and how does the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system affect the body? Explain how information in the nervous system is encoded. Explain why spinal nerves are mixed nerves. Explain why and how astrocytes could play a role in so many different neurodegenerative diseases. Why ...
Explain the functions of astrocytes in a normally functioning nervous system. What are the many ways the nervous system can be organized? How does the nervous system control muscle tension? Which system controls homeostasis? Explain. List the functions that are controlled...
Dopamine is well recognized as a neurotransmitter in the brain, and regulates critical functions in a variety of peripheral systems. Growing research has also shown that dopamine acts as an important regulator of immune function. Many immune cells express dopamine receptors and other dopamine related ...
Nitric oxide (NO) has been found to play an important role as a signal molecule in many parts of the organism as well as a cytotoxic effector molecule of the nonspecific immune response. It appears paradoxical that NO on one side acts as a physiological intercellular messenger and on the oth...
To that end, we extensively describe a variety of studies involving topics such as neurodevelopment, aging, stress, memory and homeostatic plasticity to highlight how the weakening and disconnection of synapses organically permeate the brain in so many ways as a good practice of its intrinsic ...
Finally, we examine how changes in curvature can influence transcriptional regulation through a reorganization of cytoskeletal forces acting on the nucleus, thereby facilitating the development of specific human diseases. Key points Cells interact with the curved surfaces of many organs and, at a lower...