Astrocytes: Emerging stars in leukodystrophy pathogenesis

Astrocytes are the predominant glial cell population in the central nervous system (CNS). Once considered only passive scaffolding elements, astrocytes are now recognised as cells playing essential roles in CNS development and function. They control extracellular water and ion homeostasis, provide s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Translational neuroscience 2013-06, Vol.4 (2), p.144-164
Main Authors: Lanciotti, Angela, Brignone, Maria Stefania, Bertini, Enrico, Petrucci, Tamara C., Aloisi, Francesca, Ambrosini, Elena
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alexander’s disease
CNS diseases
Glial cells
Ion homeostasis
Leukodystrophies
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts (MLC)
Myelin
Neurobiology
Neurology
Neurosciences
Neurosurgery
Review Article
Vanishing white matter disease
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Summary:Astrocytes are the predominant glial cell population in the central nervous system (CNS). Once considered only passive scaffolding elements, astrocytes are now recognised as cells playing essential roles in CNS development and function. They control extracellular water and ion homeostasis, provide substrates for energy metabolism, and regulate neurogenesis, myelination and synaptic transmission. Due to these multiple activities astrocytes have been implicated in almost all brain pathologies, contributing to various aspects of disease initiation, progression and resolution. Evidence is emerging that astrocyte dysfunction can be the direct cause of neurodegeneration, as shown in Alexander’s disease where myelin degeneration is caused by mutations in the gene encoding the astrocyte-specific cytoskeleton protein glial fibrillary acidic protein. Recent studies point to a primary role for astrocytes in the pathogenesis of other genetic leukodystrophies such as megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts and vanishing white matter disease. The aim of this review is to summarize current knowledge of the pathophysiological role of astrocytes focusing on their contribution to the development of the above mentioned leukodystrophies and on new perspectives for the treatment of neurological disorders.
ISSN:2081-3856
2081-6936
DOI:10.2478/s13380-013-0118-1