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Neurobiology

Diversity reaches the stars

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

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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.

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Figure 1: Capturing variability between astrocytes.

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Authors and Affiliations

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

    Laura E. Clarke & Shane A. Liddelow

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

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

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