TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of astrocyte‐mediated plasticity in neural circuit development and function
AU - Perez-Catalan, Nelson A.
AU - Doe, Chris Q.
AU - Ackerman, Sarah D.
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding was provided by HHMI (CQD), R01 HD27056 (CQD), and NIH F32NS098690 (SDA). SDA is a Milton Safenowitz Postdoctoral fellow of the ALSA.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - Neuronal networks are capable of undergoing rapid structural and functional changes called plasticity, which are essential for shaping circuit function during nervous system development. These changes range from short-term modifications on the order of milliseconds, to long-term rearrangement of neural architecture that could last for the lifetime of the organism. Neural plasticity is most prominent during development, yet also plays a critical role during memory formation, behavior, and disease. Therefore, it is essential to define and characterize the mechanisms underlying the onset, duration, and form of plasticity. Astrocytes, the most numerous glial cell type in the human nervous system, are integral elements of synapses and are components of a glial network that can coordinate neural activity at a circuit-wide level. Moreover, their arrival to the CNS during late embryogenesis correlates to the onset of sensory-evoked activity, making them an interesting target for circuit plasticity studies. Technological advancements in the last decade have uncovered astrocytes as prominent regulators of circuit assembly and function. Here, we provide a brief historical perspective on our understanding of astrocytes in the nervous system, and review the latest advances on the role of astroglia in regulating circuit plasticity and function during nervous system development and homeostasis.
AB - Neuronal networks are capable of undergoing rapid structural and functional changes called plasticity, which are essential for shaping circuit function during nervous system development. These changes range from short-term modifications on the order of milliseconds, to long-term rearrangement of neural architecture that could last for the lifetime of the organism. Neural plasticity is most prominent during development, yet also plays a critical role during memory formation, behavior, and disease. Therefore, it is essential to define and characterize the mechanisms underlying the onset, duration, and form of plasticity. Astrocytes, the most numerous glial cell type in the human nervous system, are integral elements of synapses and are components of a glial network that can coordinate neural activity at a circuit-wide level. Moreover, their arrival to the CNS during late embryogenesis correlates to the onset of sensory-evoked activity, making them an interesting target for circuit plasticity studies. Technological advancements in the last decade have uncovered astrocytes as prominent regulators of circuit assembly and function. Here, we provide a brief historical perspective on our understanding of astrocytes in the nervous system, and review the latest advances on the role of astroglia in regulating circuit plasticity and function during nervous system development and homeostasis.
KW - Astrocyte
KW - Circuits
KW - Gap junction
KW - Hebbian plasticity
KW - Homeostatic plasticity
KW - Synapses
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85098855735&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s13064-020-00151-9
DO - 10.1186/s13064-020-00151-9
M3 - Review article
C2 - 33413602
AN - SCOPUS:85098855735
SN - 1749-8104
VL - 16
JO - Neural Development
JF - Neural Development
IS - 1
M1 - 1
ER -