Phagocytic Activity of Rat Primary Astrocytes Is Regulated by Insulin and Ganglioside GM1

A timely and efficient removal of apoptotic cells their fragments is essential to maintain tissue homeostasis in normal and pathological conditions. Since the substrates is executed by endowed with phagocytic activity, issue of its regulation particular interest. In this work, we studied the effect two biologically active substances, insulin ganglioside GM1, on activity rat primary astrocytes. We showed that cell incubation 1 µM significantly decreased the phagocytic astrocytes (58.5% vs. control), whereas the incubation 10 GM1 caused an increase activity (133.4% control). Preincubation brain GM1 completely blocked inhibitory insulin. These results can be instrumental developing novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment neurodegenerative diseases accompanied emergence of substrates.