{"title":"Heterogeneity of Astrocyte Reactivity.","authors":"Benjamin L L Clayton, Shane A Liddelow","doi":"10.1146/annurev-neuro-112723-031738","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Astrocytes, the bushy, star-shaped glial cells of the brain and spinal cord, support the proper development and function of many cells in the central nervous system. In response to disease or injury they transform, adopting varied morphologies, molecular signatures, and functions-this state of transformation is known as reactivity. For over a century, the reactivity of astrocytes has been recognized, but it is the recent surge in technological innovation that has shed light on the diverse nature of this reactivity. It is this developing understanding of the heterogeneity of reactive astrocytes across disease-specific contexts and a spatiotemporal gradient that now excites the astrocyte field. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of reactive astrocyte heterogeneity, highlight the biological implications of this heterogeneity, and propose future approaches to aid in fully understanding the heterogeneity of reactive astrocytes.</p>","PeriodicalId":8008,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of neuroscience","volume":"48 1","pages":"231-249"},"PeriodicalIF":13.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Annual review of neuroscience","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-neuro-112723-031738","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"NEUROSCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Astrocytes, the bushy, star-shaped glial cells of the brain and spinal cord, support the proper development and function of many cells in the central nervous system. In response to disease or injury they transform, adopting varied morphologies, molecular signatures, and functions-this state of transformation is known as reactivity. For over a century, the reactivity of astrocytes has been recognized, but it is the recent surge in technological innovation that has shed light on the diverse nature of this reactivity. It is this developing understanding of the heterogeneity of reactive astrocytes across disease-specific contexts and a spatiotemporal gradient that now excites the astrocyte field. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of reactive astrocyte heterogeneity, highlight the biological implications of this heterogeneity, and propose future approaches to aid in fully understanding the heterogeneity of reactive astrocytes.
期刊介绍:
The Annual Review of Neuroscience is a well-established and comprehensive journal in the field of neuroscience, with a rich history and a commitment to open access and scholarly communication. The journal has been in publication since 1978, providing a long-standing source of authoritative reviews in neuroscience.
The Annual Review of Neuroscience encompasses a wide range of topics within neuroscience, including but not limited to: Molecular and cellular neuroscience, Neurogenetics, Developmental neuroscience, Neural plasticity and repair, Systems neuroscience, Cognitive neuroscience, Behavioral neuroscience, Neurobiology of disease. Occasionally, the journal also features reviews on the history of neuroscience and ethical considerations within the field.