title: Functions of astrocytes and their potential as therapeutic targets.
abstract: Astrocytes are often referred to, and historically have been regarded as, support cells of the mammalian CNS. Work over the last decade suggests otherwise-that astrocytes may in fact play a more active role in higher neural processing than previously recognized. Because astrocytes can potentially serve as novel therapeutic targets, it is critical to understand how astrocytes execute their diverse supportive tasks while maintaining neuronal health. To that end, this review focuses on the supportive roles of astrocytes, a line of study relevant to essentially all acute and chronic neurological diseases, and critically re-evaluates our concepts of the functional properties of astrocytes and relates these functions and properties to the intricate morphology of these cells.
authors.affiliation: Ordway Research Institute, 150 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, New York 12208, USA. hkimelberg@ordwayresearch.org
authors.forename: Harold K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kimelberg
authors.forename: Maiken
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nedergaard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D045424:Complex Mixtures / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D045424:Complex Mixtures; D014867:Water; C051709:glutamevit; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D006859:Hydrogen; D011188:Potassium