Cited by 223Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsNeurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms

Important Shapeshifter: Mechanisms Allowing Astrocytes to Respond to the Changing Nervous System During Development, Injury and Disease

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Schiweck, Juliane, Eickholt, Britta J., Murk, Kai·2018·Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience

Abstract

Astrocytes are the most prevalent glial cells in the brain. Historically considered as "merely supporting" neurons, recent research has shown that astrocytes actively participate in a large variety of central nervous system (CNS) functions including synaptogenesis, neuronal transmission and synaptic plasticity. During disease and injury, astrocytes efficiently protect neurons by various means, notably by sealing them off from neurotoxic factors and repairing the blood-brain barrier. Their ramified morphology allows them to perform diverse tasks by interacting with synapses, blood vessels and other glial cells. In this review article, we provide an overview of how astrocytes acquire their complex morphology during development. We then move from the developing to the mature brain, and review current research on perisynaptic astrocytic processes, with a particular focus on how astrocytes engage synapses and modulate their formation and activity. Comprehensive changes have been reported in astrocyte cell shape in many CNS pathologies. Factors influencing these morphological changes are summarized in the context of brain pathologies, such as traumatic injury and degenerative conditions. We provide insight into the molecular, cellular and cytoskeletal machinery behind these shape changes which drive the dynamic remodeling in astrocyte morphology during injury and the development of pathologies.

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Crossref · 10.3389/fncel.2018.00261

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  • Astrocytes undergo distinct morphological changes other than hypertrophy in pathological contexts, including elongation, process extension toward injury site, and some 3D domain overlap.

    “Thorough visualization is necessary because astrocytes undergo distinct morphological changes other than hypertrophy in pathological contexts, including elongation, process extension toward injury site, and some three-dimensional (3D) domain overlap26.”

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Authors
Schiweck, J., Eickholt, B. J., & Murk, K.
Affiliations
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (DE)
Corresponding author
  • Eickholt, Britta J.
  • Murk, Kai
Venue
Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
Published
2018-08-21
Volume
12
Pages
261-261
ISSN
1662-5102 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2888094777
Cited by
223
References
169
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 38 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 18
FWCI
10.82
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • Refubium (Universitätsbibliothek der Freien Universität Berlin) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Universitätsbibliothek der FU Berlin Hochschulschriftenstelle u. Dokumentenserver (cc-by)
Funders
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB958, TRR168, 285933818)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
Keywords
astrocytes, astrocyte morphology, synaptogenesis, synaptic plasticity, neural transmission, astrocyte development, traumatic brain injury, neurodegenerative diseases, blood-brain barrier, cytoskeleton, glial cells

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