Satellite glial cells: Shaping peripheral input into the brain-body axis?

Abstract

Satellite glial cells (SGCs) are peripheral nervous system glial cells enveloping sensory and sympathetic ganglion neuronal soma. Traditionally viewed as mere supportive cells, recent studies reveal SGCs' dynamic role in regulating sensory and autonomic processing, positioning them to shape peripheral neural signaling. This role has the potential to impact the healthy function of numerous biological processes and contribute to disease progression. Studies now implicate peripheral sensory and autonomic deficits in the etiology of many disorders, including cognitive decline in aging, neurodevelopmental disorders, or congestive heart failure. These insights highlight SGCs' potential to influence disease processes by modulating peripheral input to the brain. This review synthesizes recent findings on SGCs, emphasizing their functions beyond metabolic support. We discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying SGCs' modulation of neuronal functions, their molecular profiles, and how these change with injury and disease. We propose that SGCs contribute to shaping peripheral input in the brain-body axis.