Astrocytes

Eliana Scemes obtained her PhD from the University of Sao Paulo (USP), Brazil, and joined the faculty of the Institute of Biosciences at USP, where her research was primarily on nervous systems of jellyfish and the marine mollusk Aplysia. She spent two sabbatical years at Einstein and joined the faculty at Einstein College of Medicine in 1997, becoming Professor in 2010. Her current research interest is in the role of connexin and pannexin channels in astrocytes and brain pathophysiology. David C. Spray obtained his PhD from the University of Florida College of Medicine and after a postdoctorate, joined the faculty at Einstein College of Medicine, where he became Professor of Neuroscience in 1986 and Medicine (Cardiology) in 1993. His major research interest is in gap junctions, primarily in physiological studies of their modulations and functions in the nervous system and elsewhere, and also in studies of regulation of gap junction and other genes in various pathological conditions, including parasitic infections causing Chagas disease and cerebral malaria.

Introduction to Cluster A: Functional Biomarkers at the Interface. Mature Protoplasmic Mammalian Astrocytes: Morphology, Interrelationships, and Implications for Function. Biomarkers of Astrocyte Microdomains: Focus on Gap Junctions, Purinergic Receptors, and Aquaporins. Adhesion Molecules and their Function in Astrocyte Polarity. Contribution of Astrocytes to CNS Immunity: Roles of Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs). Introduction to Cluster B: Establishment of Functional Units:Multimodality at the Tips. Neuroglial Networks: Glial Wiring Also Matters. Astrocyte-Neuron Communication: What Goes Wrong in Pathology? Blood-Brain Barrier and the Neural Vascular Unit. Oligodendrocytes: Gateway to the Panglial Syncytium. Microglia and Non-CNS Cells in Paracrine Signaling and CNS Immunity: Effects of Pathogens, Age, and Life History. CNS Pathology: Disruption of Astrocyte Connectivity: Introduction. Astrocytes in Epilepsy. Astrocyte Involvement in the Acquired Demyelinating. The Role of Glial Pathology in Autism. Astrocytes in Major Depressive Disorder and Schizophrenia: Pathophysiological and Therapeutic Aspects. Index.