objective(s):theneuroprotective effect of lithium has been attributed to its therapeutic action. however, the role of glial cells particularly astrocytes, and the possible interactions between neurons and astrocytes in neuroprotective effects of lithium have been disregarded. thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the direct effects of lithium on brain derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf) an...

The astroglial network connected through gap junctions assembling from connexins physiologically balances the concentrations of ions and neurotransmitters around neurons. Astrocytic dysfunction has been associated with many neurological disorders including epilepsy. Dissociated result in increased activity connexin hemichannels which triggers brain pathophysiological changes. Previous studies p...

Newly generated neuroblasts from the subventricular zone of the adult brain migrate as neuronal chains within a network of astroglial tubes in the rostral migratory stream. This highly directed, rapid migration channels new neurons to the olfactory bulb. In this issue of Neuron, Kaneko et al. demonstrate that migrating neurons dynamically remodel the morphology and organization of astroglial tu...

Astroglial filaments approximately 10 nm in diameter were isolated from degenerated mouse optic nerves by Triton X-100 and DNase I treatments followed by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. 2-4 wk after bilateral enucleation, optic nerves contained virtually a single population of 10-nm filaments (astroglial filaments), free from neurofilaments. In negative-staining and thin-section electr...

Citation: Woodruff TM and Tenner AJ (2015) A commentary on: “NFκB-activated astroglial release of complement C3 compromises neuronal morphology and function associated with Alzheimer’s disease”. A cautionary note regarding C3aR. Front. Immunol. 6:220. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2015.00220 A commentary on: “NF B-activated astroglial release of complement C3 compromises neuronal morphology and function a...

Little information exists about the possible neurotoxicity of styrene. The present study was designed to explore whether long term inhalation exposure (three months) to styrene (90 and 320 ppm) could induce long lasting astroglial alterations in Sprague Dawley rats, traceable four months after exposure ceased. Styrene exposure at 320 ppm induced such alterations as shown by raised concentration...

BACKGROUND The potential nanocarrier polyamidoamine (PAMAM) generation 5 (G5-NH(2)) dendrimer has been shown to evoke lasting neuronal depolarization and cell death in a concentration-dependent manner. In this study we explored the early progression of G5-NH(2) action in brain tissue on neuronal and astroglial cells. RESULTS In order to describe early mechanisms of G5-NH(2) dendrimer action i...

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are chaperones induced under pathological conditions and involved in protein stabilization and cellular protection. In this study, we have evaluated the expression pattern of the glial cell-related HSP27, HSP32, and HSP47 following an excitotoxic lesion in the immature rat brain. Postnatal day 9 rats received an intracortical injection of N-methyl-D-aspartate and tiss...

In cells cultured from neocortex of newborn rats, phosphoinositide-3-kinases of class I regulate the DNA synthesis in a subgroup of astroglial cells. We have studied the location of these cells as well as the kinase isoforms which facilitate the S phase entry. Using dominant negative (dn) isoforms as well as selective pharmacological inhibitors we quantified S phase entry by nuclear labeling wi...