title: Astrocytes in Oligodendrocyte Lineage Development and White Matter Pathology.
abstract: White matter is primarily composed of myelin and myelinated axons. Structural and functional completeness of myelin is critical for the reliable and efficient transmission of information. White matter injury has been associated with the development of many demyelinating diseases. Despite a variety of scientific advances aimed at promoting re-myelination, their benefit has proven at best to be marginal. Research suggests that the failure of the re-myelination process may be the result of an unfavorable microenvironment. Astrocytes, are the most ample and diverse type of glial cells in central nervous system (CNS) which display multiple functions for the cells of the oligodendrocytes lineage. As such, much attention has recently been drawn to astrocyte function in terms of white matter myelin repair. They are different in white matter from those in gray matter in specific regards to development, morphology, location, protein expression and other supportive functions. During the process of demyelination and re-myelination, the functions of astrocytes are dynamic in that they are able to change functions in accordance to different time points, triggers or reactive pathways resulting in vastly different biologic effects. They have pivotal effects on oligodendrocytes and other cell types in the oligodendrocyte lineage by serving as an energy supplier, a participant of immunological and inflammatory functions, a source of trophic factors and iron and a sustainer of homeostasis. Astrocytic impairment has been shown to be directly linked to the development of neuromyelities optica (NMO). In addition, astroctyes have also been implicated in other white matter conditions such as psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Inhibiting specifically detrimental signaling pathways in astrocytes while preserving their beneficial functions may be a promising approach for remyelination strategies. As such, the ability to manipulate astrocyte function represents a novel therapeutic approach that can repair the damaged myelin that is known to occur in a variety of white matter-related disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jiasi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College Huai'an, China.
authors.forename: Yongxin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Medicine, University of Manitoba Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Namaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Benqiang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, University of Manitoba Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
authors.forename: Jiming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bi
keywords: astrocyte; demyelination; neurodegeneration; oligodendrocyte; psychiatric disorders; white matter