The Astrocyte: Powerhouse and Recycling Center
Open accessAbstract
Brain metabolism is characterized by fuel monodependence, high-energy expenditure, autonomy from the rest of body, local recycling, and marked division of labor between cell types. Although neurons spend most of the brain's energy on signaling, astrocytes bear the brunt of the metabolic load, controlling the composition of the interstitial fluid, supplying neurons with energy substrates and precursors for biosynthesis, and recycling neurotransmitters, oxidized scavengers, and other waste products. Outstanding questions in this field are the role of oligodendrocytes, the metabolic behavior of the different subtypes of astrocytes during development and disease, and the emerging notion that metabolism may participate directly in information processing.
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Astrocytes recycle neurotransmitters, clear extracellular fluid potassium, contribute to synaptic plasticity and transmission, maintain the blood-brain barrier, release lactate to fuel neurons and axons, buffer free radicals, and regulate blood flow.
“Indeed, they recycle neurotransmitters, e.g., removing excessive glutamate through their glutamate transporters. Astrocytes clear extracellular fluid potassium, contribute to synaptic plasticity and transmission, maintain the BBB, release lactate to fuel neurons and axons, buffer free radicals, and regulate blood flow (reviewed in [398,399]).”
From Revisiting the Pathogenesis of X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (2025) · cites this paper as [398]
Split into 2 atoms — 1 confirmed, 1 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredAstrocytes are glucose's main consumers in the brain.
“Thus, astrocytes are glucose ' s main consumers in the brain (Bonvento and Bolanos, 2021; Weber and Barros, 2015).”
From Inhibition of the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier in astrocytes reduces amyloid and tau accumulation in the 3xTgAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (2024) · cites this paper as Weber and Barros, 2015
In “Energy Uptake, Storage, and Delivery” (page not available), the paper says astrocytes consume more glucose than neurons in cultured cells and tissue slices. That supports the comparison in those settings, but not the unqualified claim that astrocytes are the brain’s main glucose consumers. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured33-50% of pyruvate entering astrocytic mitochondria is not used for ATP synthesis but rather for anaplerosis to replenish TCA intermediates.
“33 -50% of the pyruvate that enters astrocytic mitochondria is not used for ATP synthesis but rather anaplerosis to replenish TCA intermediates (Weber and Barros, 2015).”
From Inhibition of the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier in astrocytes reduces amyloid and tau accumulation in the 3xTgAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (2024) · cites this paper as Weber and Barros, 2015
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Cites
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- Authors
- Weber, B., & Barros, L. F.
- Affiliations
- University of Zurich (CH)
- Centro de Estudios Científicos (CL)
- ORCID
- Barros, L. Felipe
- Venue
- Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology
- Publisher
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
- Published
- 2015-02-13
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- a020396
- ISSN
- 1943-0264 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4665076
- OpenAlex
- W6929944088
- Cited by
- 195
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 1
- Type
- posted content
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (acceptedVersion)
- Americanae (AECID Library) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation (1130095)
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
- Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biochemistry › Amino Acid Enzymes and Metabolism
- Keywords
- astrocytes, brain metabolism, energy metabolism, neurotransmitter recycling, oligodendrocytes, astrocyte subtypes, astrocyte development
- MeSH terms
- Astrocytes, Brain, Energy Metabolism, Models, Biological, Metabolic Networks and Pathways
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