title: Autoimmune modulation of astrocyte-mediated homeostasis.
abstract: Astrocytes are principal mediators of homeostasis in the central nervous system (CNS). They supply neurons and oligodendrocytes with substrates for energy metabolism and clear the extracellular space of excess neurotransmitters. In neuroinflammation, astrocytes have classically been regarded as unimportant since their capacity to present antigen to T cells is limited and has been questioned in vivo. However, it is an evolving concept that autoimmunity in the CNS has a profound impact on astrocytes. In this review, we focus on the alterations in astrocyte functions that occur during an autoimmune attack of the CNS.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Institutes of Medicine, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA, USA. tkorn@rics.bwh.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Korn
authors.forename: Mahendra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Magnus
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015551:Autoimmunity; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019344:Lactic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid