Detrimental and Beneficial Roles of Glial Cells After Neural Disorders
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 101
Special Issue Editor
Interests: neuroinflammation; neuroprotection for stroke; trauma; alzheimer and parkinson diseases; neuroplasticity; adult neurogenesis; cell therapy using transplant of progenitor cells
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
For many years, the neuronocentric view of the central nervous system (CNS) centered neurons in the pathophysiology of both acute and chronic neural disorders. However, many studies have now established that glial cells play a pivotal role in both physiological and pathological processes in the CNS. Following acute and chronic neural disorders, both astrocytes and microglia display different phenotypes contributing to both repair and damage, leading to it being called the Janus Face of glial cells. In the aftermath of both acute and chronic neural disorders, microglia can be detrimental by releasing molecules which contribute to secondary tissue damage. Nevertheless, in the same experimental model, these resident macrophages of the CNS may contribute to repair. In AD, microglia may be beneficial by removing β-amyloid plaques (β-AP), but continuous exposure of microglia to β-AP induces a detrimental phenotype, contributing to progressive neurodegeneration. The same has been observed after α-synuclein aggregation and Lewy body formation in PD models. These different phenotypes, sometimes named M1 and M2, are likely a consequence of the kind of ligands released in the pathological environment. Similar results have been reported for astrocytes, which also display different phenotypes playing both detrimental and beneficial roles after CNS disorders. In addition, oligodendrocytes also protect neurons and increase action potential speed with their myelin sheath, but they impair axon regeneration with white matter inhibitors like NOGO-A. In this Special Issue, we invite authors to submit both experimental papers and reviews with data obtained using preclinical models of both acute and chronic neural disorders, exploring the duality of glial cell actions after CNS damage or repair. Both neuroprotective or regenerative approaches are welcome.
Dr. Walace Gomes-Leal
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- neuroprotection
- neuroinflammation
- cell therapy
- microglia
- astrocytes
- oligodendrocytes
- Janus face
- double-edged sword
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