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G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) play key roles in intercellular signaling in the brain. Their effects on cellular function have been largely studied in neurons, but their functional consequences on astrocytes are less known. Using both endogenous and chemogenetic approaches with DREADDs, we have investigated the effects of Gq and Gi/o GPCR activation on astroglial Ca2+‐based activity, gliotransmitter...
Astroglial networks mediated by gap junction channels contribute to neurotransmission and promote neuronal coordination. Connexin 30, one of the two main astroglial gap junction forming protein, alters at the behavioral level the reactivity of mice to novel environment and at the synaptic level excitatory transmission. However, the role and function of Cx30 at the neuronal network level remain unclear...
We recently discovered a novel role for neuregulin‐1 (Nrg1) signaling in mediating spontaneous regenerative processes and functional repair after spinal cord injury (SCI). We revealed that Nrg1 is the molecular signal responsible for spontaneous functional remyelination of dorsal column axons by peripheral nervous system (PNS)‐like Schwann cells after SCI. Here, we investigate whether Nrg1/ErbB signaling...
Accumulating evidence suggests that changes in the metabolic signature of microglia underlie their response to inflammation. We sought to increase our knowledge of how pro‐inflammatory stimuli induce metabolic changes. Primary microglia exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐expressed excessive fission leading to more fragmented mitochondria than tubular mitochondria. LPS‐mediated Toll‐like receptor...
Following injury to the peripheral nervous system (PNS), microglia in the spinal dorsal horn (SDH) become activated and contribute to the development of local neuro‐inflammation, which may regulate neuropathic pain processing. The molecular mechanisms that control microglial activation and its effects on neuropathic pain remain incompletely understood. We deleted the gene encoding the plasma membrane...
Microglia are the resident tissue macrophages of the central nervous system including the retina. Under pathophysiological conditions, microglia can signal to Müller cells, the major glial component of the retina, affecting their morphological, molecular, and functional responses. Microglia–Müller cell interactions appear to be bidirectional shaping the overall injury response in the retina. Hence,...
Proper function of the retina depends heavily on a specialized form of retinal glia called Müller cells. These cells carry out important homeostatic functions that are contingent on their polarized nature. Specifically, the Müller cell endfeet that contact retinal microvessels and the corpus vitreum show a tenfold higher concentration of the inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kir4.1 than other...
Growing interest has been focused on the roles of microglia as sentinels and effector cells that guard diverse pathological milieu in the brain. Here, it has been reported that microglial TLR2 is a crucial molecule that confers innate and adaptive immunity against brain tumor. TLR2 is preferentially expressed on microglia, brain‐resident immune cells, in the tumor‐bearing cerebral hemisphere of mouse...
Coordination of gastrointestinal function relies on joint efforts of enteric neurons and glia, whose crosstalk is vital for the integration of their activity. To investigate the signaling mechanisms and to delineate the spatial aspects of enteric neuron‐to‐glia communication within enteric ganglia we developed a method to stimulate single enteric neurons while monitoring the activity of neighboring...
Neuroinflammation in the central nervous system (CNS) is an important subject of neuroimmunological research. Emerging evidence suggests that neuroinflammation is a key player in various neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases and CNS injury. Neuroinflammation is a complex and well‐orchestrated process by various groups of glial cells in CNS and peripheral immune cells. The cross‐talks...
Chronic pain is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in the world. The plastic changes of sensory neurons in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) have been extensively studied as the underlying periphery mechanism. Recent studies revealed that satellite cells, the major glial cells in DRG, also played important roles in the development/modulation of chronic pain. Whether DRG satellite glial cells generate...
X‐linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X‐ALD) and metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) are two relatively common examples of hereditary demyelinating diseases caused by a dysfunction of peroxisomal or lysosomal lipid degradation. In both conditions, accumulation of nondegraded lipids leads to the destruction of cerebral white matter. Because of their high lipid content, oligodendrocytes are considered key to...
In the central nervous system, the type I transmembrane glycoprotein NG2 (nerve‐glia antigen 2) is only expressed by pericytes and oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). Therefore, OPCs are also termed NG2 glia. Their fate during development has been investigated systematically in several genetically modified mouse models. Consensus exists that postnatal NG2 glia are restricted to the oligodendrocyte...
Elevation of energy metabolism and disturbance of astrocyte number/function in the ventral anterior cingulate cortex (vACC) contributes to the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). Functional hyperactivity of vACC may result from reduced astrocytic glutamate uptake and increased neuronal excitation. Here we tested this hypothesis by knocking‐down astrocytic glutamate transporter GLAST/GLT‐1...
Growing recognition of the pivotal role microglia play in neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory disorders has accentuated the need to characterize their function in health and disease. Studies in mouse have applied transcriptome‐wide profiling of microglia to reveal key features of microglial ontogeny, functional profile, and phenotypic diversity. While similar, human microglia exhibit clear differences...
Oligodendrocytes differentiate from oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) in response to distinct extracellular signals. This process requires changes in gene expression resulting from the interplay between transcription factors and epigenetic modulators. Extracellular signals include chemical and physical stimuli. This review focuses on the signaling mechanisms activated in oligodendrocyte progenitors...
The cross‐talk between blood proteins, immune cells, and brain function involves complex mechanisms. Plasma protein C1 inhibitor (C1INH) is an inhibitor of vascular inflammation that is induced by activation of the kallikrein‐kinin system (KKS) and the complement system. Knockout of C1INH was previously correlated with peripheral vascular permeability via the bradykinin pathway, yet there was no evidence...
Oligodendrocytes (OLs) are the myelinating glia of the central nervous system. Injury to OLs causes myelin loss. In demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, the remyelination is hindered principally due to a failure of the oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) to differentiate into mature OLs. To identify inducers of OPC to OL differentiation, a high‐throughput screening based on myelin...
Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) are sequentially specified into neurons and glia during the development of central nervous system. WNT/β‐catenin signaling is known to regulate the balance between the proliferation and differentiation of NPCs during neurogenesis. However, the function of WNT/β‐catenin signaling during gliogenesis remains poorly defined. Here, we report that activation of WNT/β‐catenin...
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