Making sense of astrocytic calcium signals — from acquisition to interpretation
Abstract
Astrocytes functionally interact with neurons and with other brain cells. Although not electrically excitable, astrocytes display a complex repertoire of intracellular Ca 2+ signalling that evolves in space and time within single astrocytes and across astrocytic networks. Decoding the physiological meaning of these dynamic changes in astrocytic Ca 2+ activity has remained a major challenge. This Review describes experimental preparations and methods for recording and studying Ca 2+ activity in astrocytes, focusing on the analysis of Ca 2+ signalling events in single astrocytes and in astrocytic networks. The limitations of existing experimental approaches and ongoing technical and conceptual challenges in the interpretation of astrocytic Ca 2+ events and their spatio-temporal patterns are also discussed.
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In normal conditions, astrocyte Ca2+-based responses and downstream signaling via neuroactive mediators exert multifarious effects on synaptic function and plasticity, neural-network oscillations, and ultimately behavior.
“In normal conditions, astrocyte Ca2+-based responses, and downstream signaling via neuroactive mediators, exert multifarious effects on synaptic function and plasticity, neural-network oscillations, and, ultimately, on behavior51,52.”
From Reactive astrocyte nomenclature, definitions, and future directions (2021) · cites this paper as [52]
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- Authors
- Semyanov, A., Henneberger, C., & Agarwal, A.
- Affiliations
- Russian Academy of Sciences (RU)
- University of Bonn (DE)
- Heidelberg University (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Semyanov, Alexey
- Henneberger, Christian
- Agarwal, Amit
- Venue
- Nature Reviews Neuroscience
- Published
- 2020-09-01
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 551-564
- ISSN
- 1471-003X (ISSN-L)
- 1471-0048
- OpenAlex
- W3082401852
- Cited by
- 269
- References
- 146
- Citations by year
- 2026: 35 · 2025: 50 · 2024: 56 · 2023: 39 · 2022: 42 · 2021: 43 · 2020: 2 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 4.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Nature reviews. Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DZNE Pub (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Connexins and lens biology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Keywords
- astrocytes, intracellular calcium signaling, calcium imaging, spatiotemporal patterns, experimental preparation, astrocyte-neuron interaction
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Astrocytes, Brain, Cells, Cultured, Humans, Neurons, Calcium Signaling, Optical Imaging
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