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Cited by 420Skin and Cellular Biology ResearchNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsNeurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms

Astrocyte intermediate filaments in CNS pathologies and regeneration

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Pekny, Milos, Pekna, Marcela·2004·The Journal of Pathology
DOI 10.1002/path.1645
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Abstract

Astroglial cells are the most abundant cells in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS), yet our knowledge about their function in health and disease has been limited. This review focuses on the recent work addressing the function of intermediate filaments in astroglial cells under severe mechanical or osmotic stress, in hypoxia, and in brain and spinal cord injury. Recent data show that when astrocyte intermediate filaments are genetically ablated in mice, reactive gliosis is attenuated and the course of several CNS pathologies is altered, while the signs of CNS regeneration become more prominent. GFAP is the principal astrocyte intermediate filament protein and dominant mutations in the GFAP gene have been shown to lead to Alexander disease, a fatal neurodegenerative condition in humans. Copyright © 2004 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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  • Deletion of both Gfap and Vim appears to primarily affect astrocytes.

    “The deletion of both genes appears to primarily affect astrocytes (for review, see refs. 15, 53).”

    From Attenuating astrocyte activation accelerates plaque pathogenesis in APP/PS1 mice (2013) · cites this paper as [53]

    The ‘Astrocytes, IFs, and reactive gliosis’ section reports that astrocytes in mice lacking both GFAP and vimentin are completely devoid of intermediate filaments. The ‘Astroglial cells without IFs’ section also reports effects in retinal Müller cells; the review does not establish that astrocytes are affected primarily rather than other cell types. (LLM, conf=0.78)

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References 59 · Cited by 420

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Authors
Pekny, M., & Pekna, M.
Affiliations
University of Gothenburg (SE)
Corresponding author
Pekny, Milos
ORCID
Venue
The Journal of Pathology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2004-10-19
Volume
204
Issue
4
Pages
428-437
ISSN
  • 0022-3417 (ISSN-L)
  • 1096-9896
DOI
10.1002/path.1645
OpenAlex
W2113546972
Cited by
420
References
59
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 29 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 32
FWCI
1.30
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • The Journal of Pathology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Swedish Cancer Foundation
  • Hjärt-Lungfonden
  • Vetenskapsrådet
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Skin and Cellular Biology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
Keywords
astrocytes, intermediate filaments, glial fibrillary acidic protein, reactive gliosis, mechanical stress, osmotic stress, hypoxia, brain injury, spinal cord injury, central nervous system regeneration, Alexander disease, neurodegeneration, gene ablation
MeSH terms
Astrocytes, Brain Injuries, Cell Movement, Central Nervous System Diseases, Cytoskeleton, Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein, Humans, Intermediate Filaments, Nerve Regeneration, Osmosis, Retinal Vessels, Spinal Cord Injuries, Stress, Mechanical, Alexander Disease

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