title: Astrocytes and disease: a neurodevelopmental perspective.
abstract: Astrocytes are no longer seen as a homogenous population of cells. In fact, recent studies indicate that astrocytes are morphologically and functionally diverse and play critical roles in neurodevelopmental diseases such as Rett syndrome and fragile X mental retardation. This review summarizes recent advances in astrocyte development, including the role of neural tube patterning in specification and developmental functions of astrocytes during synaptogenesis. We propose here that a precise understanding of astrocyte development is critical to defining heterogeneity and could lead advances in understanding and treating a variety of neuropsychiatric diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA.
authors.forename: Anna V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Molofsky
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krencik
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krenick
authors.forename: Erik M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Ullian
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ullian
authors.forename: Hui-hsin
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Deneen
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: Ben A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Barres
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Rowitch
mesh_terms: D001253:Astrocytes / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D020271:Heredodegenerative Disorders, Nervous System / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D055495:Neurogenesis