Glutamatergic Transmission: Role of Astrocytes in Health and Disease
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cells of the Nervous System".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 23206
Special Issue Editors
Interests: molecular pathology; neurodegeneration; neurodevelopment; neuroscience; cancer genetics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Historically glial cells were viewed as simply part of the support system for neurons providing nourishment, protection and structural framework. However, accumulating studies over the past 25 years or more have demonstrated that glia play a myriad of active roles beyond their housekeeping duties. For instance, regulation of nervous system development, synaptic activity and plasticity, as well as response to damage and traumatic injury. While all these functions are essential for maintaining a healthy CNS, emerging evidence is pointing towards a far more dynamic role for glia, specifically astrocytes, at the synapse whereby it assumes the role of a third participant actively engaging in dialogues with pre and post synaptic neurons in the so called “tripartite synapse”. Glutamate is the principle excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS and like their neuronal partners, glia express a variety of ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors and transporters. The presence of these components not only allow glia to maintain extracellular glutamate at subtoxic levels but also to communicate effectively with neurons and other glial cells and ultimately ensure that functional integrity at the synaptic and circuit level is preserved. Consequently, glial glutamatergic system impairment is a common event in the pathophysiology of a number of chronic and acute neurodegenerative diseases as well as psychiatric illnesses.
In this special issue we aim to focus on the latest advances in the study of the role of glial cells (primarily astrocytes) in regulating glutamate transmission. By covering key components/processes of the glutamatergic system (receptors, plasma membrane and vesicular transporters, downstream signalling and metabolism) we hope to improve our understanding and fill important knowledge gaps such as differences and commonalities
between neurons and glia in the context of;
1) Glutamate receptors composition, properties and response
2) Glutamate triggered intracellular signalling
We are pleased to invite you to submit research articles, reviews and communications covering any aspect of glial regulation of glutamatergic transmission. Looking forward to your contribution.
Dr. Bashayer Al Mubarak
Dr. Jing Qiu
Guest Editors
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