Glia in Health and Disease

Glia in Health and Disease
Author: Tania Spohr
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
Total Pages: 164
Release: 2020-05-20
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1789852536

The book will highlight the role played by glial cells in the central and peripheral nervous systems in both healthy and unhealthy individuals. Among all processes involved, we will discuss the importance of the enteric nervous system in the control of gut homeostasis, in the interaction with the immune system, and its participation in pathological conditions such as metabolic syndrome. We will also look at the relevance of astrocytes during synaptic transmission and the regulation of plasticity by releasing gliotransmitters. Ultimately, we will highlight the influence of astrocytes during the development of a number of neurodegenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease, focusing on how the serum levels of the astrocytic protein S100B can be used as a biomarker for clinical decisions.

The Biology of Glial Cells: Recent Advances

The Biology of Glial Cells: Recent Advances
Author: Ishan Patro
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 763
Release: 2022-04-09
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 9811683131

This book reviews the role of glial cells (astrocytes, microglia, oligodendroglia, satellite cells, and Schwann cells) in neuronal health and diseases. It discusses the latest advances in understanding their origin, differentiation, and hemostasis. The book also examines the role of microglial cells in central nervous system (CNS) development, maintenance, and synaptic plasticity. Further, the book presents the functions of astrocytes in healthy CNS and their critical role in CNS disorders, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Notably, the book describes the pathobiology, molecular pathogenesis, stem cells, and imaging characteristics of gliomas. It defines the role of glial cells in regulating iron homeostasis and their effect on the neurodegeneration of neurons. Lastly, it covers the structure, function, and pathology of oligodendrocytes and their role in neuronal health and disease. ​

The Functional Roles of Glial Cells in Health and Disease

The Functional Roles of Glial Cells in Health and Disease
Author: Rebecca Matsas
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 376
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 1461546850

Thirty-five years ago, when Stephen Kuffler and his colleagues at Harvard initiated a new era of research on the properties and functions of neuroglial cells, very few neuro scientists were impressed at the time with the hypothesis that neuroglial cells could have another, though more subtle, role to play in the nervous system than to provide static support to neurons. Today, very few neuroscientists are unaware of the fact that multiple interactions between neurons and glial cells have been described, and that they consti tute the basis for understanding the function and the pathology of the nervous system. Glial cells outnumber neurons and make up about one-half of the bulk of the nervous system. They are divided into two major classes: first, the macroglia, which include astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system, and the Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system; and second, the microglial cells. These different classes of glial cells have different functions and contribute in different ways in the devel opment, function, and the pathology of the nervous system.

Glial Cells: Managers of Neuro-immunity

Glial Cells: Managers of Neuro-immunity
Author: Carlos Barcia
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2016-05-30
Genre: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
ISBN: 2889198359

Immune responses within the brain are still scarcely explored. Nerve tissue damage is accompanied by the activation of glial cells, primarily microglia and astroglia, and such activation is responsible for the release of cytokines and chemokines that maintain the local inflammatory response and actively recruit lymphocytes and monocytes to the damaged areas. Theoretically, these responses are designed to repair the brain damage. However, alterations, or a chronic perpetuation of these responses may underlie a number of neuro-pathologies. It is thought that each inflammatory scenario within the brain have a specific biochemical footprint characterized by the release of determined cytokines, chemokines and growing factors able to define particular immunological responses. Alongside, glial cells transform their cell body, become larger and develop higher number of branches adopting an active morphological phenotype. These changes are related with the search of interactions with other cells, such as bystander resident cells of the brain parenchyma, but also cells homing from the blood stream. In this process, microglia and astrocytes communicates with other cells by the formation of specific intercellular connections that are still poorly understood. These interactions are complex and entail the arrangement of cytoskeletal compounds, secretory and phagocytic domains. In this particular crosstalk there is a two-way communication in which glial cells and target cells come together establishing interfaces with specific information exchange. This way, glial cells orchestrate the particular response recruiting cellular subsets within the central nervous system and organizing the resolution of the brain damage. In this Frontiers Research Topic, we compile a selection of articles unfolding diverse aspects of glial-derived inflammation, focused on neurodegenerative diseases and other nervous system disorders, with special emphasis on microglia/macrophages as leading actors managing neuro-immunity.

Glial Physiology and Pathophysiology

Glial Physiology and Pathophysiology
Author: Alexei Verkhratsky
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 473
Release: 2013-01-31
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 1118402057

Glial Physiology and Pathophysiology provides a comprehensive, advanced text on the biology and pathology of glial cells. Coverae includes: the morphology and interrelationships between glial cells and neurones in different parts of the nervous systems the cellular physiology of the different kinds of glial cells the mechanisms of intra- and inter-cellular signalling in glial networks the mechanisms of glial-neuronal communications the role of glial cells in synaptic plasticity, neuronal survival and development of nervous system the cellular and molecular mechanisms of metabolic neuronal-glial interactions the role of glia in nervous system pathology, including pathology of glial cells and associated diseases - for example, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Alexander disease and Parkinson's Neuroglia oversee the birth and development of neurones, the establishment of interneuronal connections (the 'connectome'), the maintenance and removal of these inter-neuronal connections, writing of the nervous system components, adult neurogenesis, the energetics of nervous tissue, metabolism of neurotransmitters, regulation of ion composition of the interstitial space and many, many more homeostatic functions. This book primes the reader towards the notion that nervous tissue is not divided into more important and less important cells. The nervous tissue functions because of the coherent and concerted action of many different cell types, each contributing to an ultimate output. This reaches its zenith in humans, with the creation of thoughts, underlying acquisition of knowledge, its analysis and synthesis, and contemplating the Universe and our place in it. An up-to-date and fully referenced text on the most numerous cells in the human brain Detailed coverage of the morphology and interrelationships between glial cells and neurones in different parts of the nervous system Describes the role og glial cells in neuropathology Focus boxes highlight key points and summarise important facts Companion website with downloadable figures and slides

Neuroinflammation in Stroke

Neuroinflammation in Stroke
Author: Ulrich Dirnagl
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 248
Release: 2013-04-17
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 3662054264

The successful treatment of acute stroke remains one of the major challenges in clinical medicine. Over the last decades, the understanding of stroke pathophysiology has greatly improved, while the therapeutic options in stroke therapy remain very limited. Today, hyperacute mechanisms of damage, such as excitotoxicity, can be discriminated from delayed ones, such as inflammation and apoptosis. Targeting of inflammation has already been successfully applied in various stroke models, but translation into a clinically efficacious strategy has not been achieved so far. In this book, leading experts in basic cerebrovascular research as well as stroke treatment review the current evidence for and against an important role for inflammation in stroke, and explore the potential of treating or modulating inflammation in stroke therapy.

The Blood Brain Barrier (BBB)

The Blood Brain Barrier (BBB)
Author: Gert Fricker
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 169
Release: 2014-10-24
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3662437872

Medicinal chemistry is both science and art. The science of medicinal chemistry offers mankind one of its best hopes for improving the quality of life. The art of medicinal chemistry continues to challenge its practitioners with the need for both intuition and experience to discover new drugs. Hence sharing the experience of drug research is uniquely beneficial to the field of medicinal chemistry. Drug research requires interdisciplinary team-work at the interface between chemistry, biology and medicine. Therefore, the topic-related series Topics in Medicinal Chemistry covers all relevant aspects of drug research, e.g. pathobiochemistry of diseases, identification and validation of (emerging) drug targets, structural biology, drugability of targets, drug design approaches, chemogenomics, synthetic chemistry including combinatorial methods, bioorganic chemistry, natural compounds, high-throughput screening, pharmacological in vitro and in vivo investigations, drug-receptor interactions on the molecular level, structure-activity relationships, drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination, toxicology and pharmacogenomics. In general, special volumes are edited by well known guest editors.

Neuroscience in the 21st Century

Neuroscience in the 21st Century
Author: Donald W. Pfaff
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2016-10-27
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 9781493934737

Edited and authored by a wealth of international experts in neuroscience and related disciplines, this key new resource aims to offer medical students and graduate researchers around the world a comprehensive introduction and overview of modern neuroscience. Neuroscience research is certain to prove a vital element in combating mental illness in its various incarnations, a strategic battleground in the future of medicine, as the prevalence of mental disorders is becoming better understood each year. Hundreds of millions of people worldwide are affected by mental, behavioral, neurological and substance use disorders. The World Health Organization estimated in 2002 that 154 million people globally suffer from depression and 25 million people from schizophrenia; 91 million people are affected by alcohol use disorders and 15 million by drug use disorders. A more recent WHO report shows that 50 million people suffer from epilepsy and 24 million from Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Because neuroscience takes the etiology of disease—the complex interplay between biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors—as its object of inquiry, it is increasingly valuable in understanding an array of medical conditions. A recent report by the United States’ Surgeon General cites several such diseases: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, early-onset depression, autism, attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder, anorexia nervosa, and panic disorder, among many others. Not only is this volume a boon to those wishing to understand the future of neuroscience, it also aims to encourage the initiation of neuroscience programs in developing countries, featuring as it does an appendix full of advice on how to develop such programs. With broad coverage of both basic science and clinical issues, comprising around 150 chapters from a diversity of international authors and including complementary video components, Neuroscience in the 21st Century in its second edition serves as a comprehensive resource to students and researchers alike.

Cytokines and the CNS

Cytokines and the CNS
Author: Richard M. Ransohoff
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 379
Release: 2005-10-31
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 1420039849

Provides Insight into How Cytokine Action Impacts the Physiology and Pathology of the CNS. As with the first edition of Cytokines and the CNS, this completely updated and revised edition introduces neurobiologists to cytokine biology and immunologists to the unique functions of cytokines in CNS physiology. The dramatically accelera