Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Neurobiology

Diversity reaches the stars

Nature volume 548, pages 396–397 (2017)Cite this article

Subjects

Cells called astrocytes promote and maintain neuronal function. The discovery that astrocytes vary in their gene expression, protein levels, cellular structure and function suggests that they are specialized to support distinct circuits.

Approximately one-third of cells in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) are star-shaped astrocytes. These non-neuronal cells have many vital roles in CNS function1. For example, they instruct the formation, maturation and elimination of synaptic connections between neurons during development. They are involved in maintaining the blood–brain barrier and in regulating blood flow. They mediate neuronal uptake and the recycling of neurotransmitter molecules, and they provide nutritional and metabolic support to neurons. Are these functions uniformly executed by astrocytes throughout the CNS, or are there regional differences? Writing in Neuron, Chai et al.2 present the first comprehensive study to demonstrate brain-region-specific astrocyte specializations.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Capturing variability between astrocytes.

Notes

  1. See all news & views

References

  1. Khakh, B. S. & Sofroniew, M. V. Nature Neurosci. 18, 942–952 (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Chai, H. et al. Neuron 95, 531–549 (2017).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Ben Haim, L. & Rowitch, D. H. Nature Rev. Neurosci. 18, 31–41 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Zhang, Y. & Barres, B. A. Curr. Opin. Neurobiol. 20, 588–594 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Molofsky, A. V. et al. Nature 509, 189–194 (2014).

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Cahoy, J. D. et al. J. Neurosci. 28, 264–278 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bazargani, N. & Attwell, D. Nature Neurosci. 19, 182–189 (2016).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Sloan, S. A. & Barres, B. A. Neuron 84, 1112–1115 (2014).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Sanz, E. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 106, 13939–13944 (2009).

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Srinivasan, R. et al. Neuron 92, 1181–1195 (2016).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Francelle, L. et al. Hum. Mol. Genet. 24, 1563–1573 (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, 94305–5125, California, USA

    Laura E. Clarke & Shane A. Liddelow

Authors
  1. Laura E. Clarke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shane A. Liddelow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Laura E. Clarke or Shane A. Liddelow.

Related links

Related links

Related links in Nature Research

Regeneration: Not everything is scary about a glial scar

Neuroscience: Astrocytes as aide-mémoires

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Clarke, L., Liddelow, S. Diversity reaches the stars. Nature 548, 396–397 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/548396a

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/548396a

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing