Glial cells tagged posts

There are a few different types of glia in the brain: oligodendrocytes, microglia, and astrocytes. Each is needed to optimize brain function. Oligodendrocytes are specialized cells that wrap tightly around axons to form the myelin sheath. These cells speed up the electrical signals (action potentials) that travel down an axon. Without oligodendrocytes, an action potential would travel down an axon 30 times slower!

The sensation of pain occurs when neural pathways conduct excitation generated by tissue damage to the spinal cord, where the nociceptive information is pre-processed. From there, the information is transmitted to the brain, where the sensation of “pain” is finally created. This is the general belief...

DREADDs are specifically expressed in glial cells. Astrocytes, but not tanycytes, are activated by DREADDs and fasting. Morphological changes in astrocytes are also induced by DREADDs and fasting.

MIT neuroscientists have discovered that glial cells play a critical role in controlling appetite and feeding behavior. In a study of mice, activating these cells stimulates overeating, and that when the cells are inhibited, appetite is also suppressed. The findings could offer scientists a new target for developing drugs against obesity and other appetite-related disorders. The study is also the latest in recent years to implicate glial cells in important brain functions. Until about 10 years ago, glial cells were believed to play more of a supporting role for neurons.

“In the last few years, ab...

The KCC-3 ion transporter, shown here in green, is expressed in glial cells but only near a particular neuron, shown in red. Credit: Laboratory of Developmental Genetics at The Rockefeller University/Cell

Glial cells nourish, protect, and support neurons, but their role is far from passive. A new study shows how they can change the shape of nerve endings by interacting with them through a previously unknown molecular pathway and distinguish between the different types of neurons they encase. More than half of our brains are made up of glial cells, which wrap around nerve fibers and insulate them allowing electrical and chemical impulses to travel faster. In the past, neuroscientists considered the glial cell an essential yet passive helper of nerve cells...