title: Diversity of astroglial functions alludes to subcellular specialisation.
abstract: Rapid signal exchange between astroglia and neurons has emerged as an essential element of neural circuits of the brain. However, the increasing variety of mechanisms contributing to this signalling appears to be facing a conceptual stalemate. The communication medium of astroglia involves intracellular [Ca(2+)] waves, which until recently have been associated with slow, global [Ca(2+)] rises. How such a uniform trigger could handle fast and diverse molecular messages remains unexplained. Recent studies have, however, revealed a variety of apparently independent Ca(2+) activities within individual astrocytic compartments, also indicating the prevalence of subcellular segregation for some signalling mechanisms. These signs of intracellular compartmentalisation might provide the key to the multitude of adaptive roles played by astroglia.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, University College London (UCL), Queen Square, London, WC1 3BG, UK. Electronic address: d.rusakov@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Dmitri A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Rusakov
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, University College London (UCL), Queen Square, London, WC1 3BG, UK. Electronic address: l.bard@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bard
authors.affiliation: The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, University College London (UCL), Queen Square, London, WC1 3BG, UK; Institute of Cellular Neuroscience, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: christian.henneberger@ukb.uni-bonn.de.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Henneberger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium