title: Neurons diversify astrocytes in the adult brain through sonic hedgehog signaling.
abstract: Astrocytes are specialized and heterogeneous cells that contribute to central nervous system function and homeostasis. However, the mechanisms that create and maintain differences among astrocytes and allow them to fulfill particular physiological roles remain poorly defined. We reveal that neurons actively determine the features of astrocytes in the healthy adult brain and define a role for neuron-derived sonic hedgehog (Shh) in regulating the molecular and functional profile of astrocytes. Thus, the molecular and physiological program of astrocytes is not hardwired during development but, rather, depends on cues from neurons that drive and sustain their specialized properties.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: W Todd
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Farmer
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Therése
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abrahamsson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chierzi
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zaelzer
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Emma V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Blandine Ponroy
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Bally
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Gary G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Jean-Francois
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Théroux
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Jimmy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Charles W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Bourque
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Charron
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Douglas Hospital Research Institute, Verdun, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: P Jesper
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Sjöström
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. keith.murai@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Keith K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Murai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D002525:Cerebellar Cortex / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000072086:Smoothened Receptor
chemical_list: D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; C465570:Shh protein, mouse; C491022:Smo protein, mouse; D000072086:Smoothened Receptor