Astrocytes Revisited: Concise Historic Outlook on Glutamate Homeostasis and Signaling

Overview

Journal Croat Med J

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2013 Jan 1

PMID 23275317

Citations 28

Authors

Vladimir Parpura

Alexei Verkhratsky

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Astroglia is a main type of brain neuroglia, which includes many cell sub-types that differ in their morphology and physiological properties and yet are united by the main function, which is the maintenance of brain homeostasis. Astrocytes employ a variety of mechanisms for communicating with neuronal networks. The communication mediated by neurotransmitter glutamate has received a particular attention. Glutamate is de novo synthesized exclusively in astrocytes; astroglia-derived glutamine is the source of glutamate for neurons. Glutamate is released from both neurons and astroglia through exocytosis, although various other mechanisms may also play a role. Glutamate-activated specific receptors trigger excitatory responses in neurons and astroglia. Here we overview main properties of glutamatergic transmission in neuronal-glial networks and identify some future challenges facing the field.

Citing Articles

Sex Differences in Astrocyte Activity.

Gozlan E, Lewit-Cohen Y, Frenkel D Cells. 2024; 13(20.

PMID: 39451242 PMC: 11506538. DOI: 10.3390/cells13201724.

The Role of Astrocytes in CNS Disorders: Historic and Contemporary Views.

Brenner M, Parpura V Cells. 2024; 13(16).

PMID: 39195276 PMC: 11352414. DOI: 10.3390/cells13161388.

Long COVID as a Tauopathy: Of "Brain Fog" and "Fusogen Storms".

Sfera A, Rahman L, Del Campo C, Kozlakidis Z Int J Mol Sci. 2023; 24(16).

PMID: 37628830 PMC: 10454863. DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612648.

Calcium signaling in astrocytes and gliotransmitter release.

Goenaga J, Araque A, Kofuji P, Herrera Moro Chao D Front Synaptic Neurosci. 2023; 15():1138577.

PMID: 36937570 PMC: 10017551. DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2023.1138577.

Roles of neuropathology-associated reactive astrocytes: a systematic review.

Lawrence J, Schardien K, Wigdahl B, Nonnemacher M Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2023; 11(1):42.

PMID: 36915214 PMC: 10009953. DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01526-9.

References

Ye Z, Wyeth M, Baltan-Tekkok S, Ransom B . Functional hemichannels in astrocytes: a novel mechanism of glutamate release. J Neurosci. 2003; 23(9):3588-96. PMC: 6742182. View

Verkhratsky A, Steinhauser C . Ion channels in glial cells. Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 2000; 32(2-3):380-412. DOI: 10.1016/s0165-0173(99)00093-4. View

Parpura V, Verkhratsky A . Neuroglia at the crossroads of homoeostasis, metabolism and signalling: evolution of the concept. ASN Neuro. 2012; 4(4):201-5. PMC: 3342593. DOI: 10.1042/AN20120019. View

Clements J, Lester R, Tong G, Jahr C, Westbrook G . The time course of glutamate in the synaptic cleft. Science. 1992; 258(5087):1498-501. DOI: 10.1126/science.1359647. View

Ni Y, Malarkey E, Parpura V . Vesicular release of glutamate mediates bidirectional signaling between astrocytes and neurons. J Neurochem. 2007; 103(4):1273-84. DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2007.04864.x. View

Verkhratsky A, Rodriguez J, Parpura V . Neurotransmitters and integration in neuronal-astroglial networks. Neurochem Res. 2012; 37(11):2326-38. DOI: 10.1007/s11064-012-0765-6. View

Verkhratsky A, Sofroniew M, Messing A, deLanerolle N, Rempe D, Rodriguez J . Neurological diseases as primary gliopathies: a reassessment of neurocentrism. ASN Neuro. 2012; 4(3). PMC: 3320215. DOI: 10.1042/AN20120010. View

Melone M, Bellesi M, Conti F . Synaptic localization of GLT-1a in the rat somatic sensory cortex. Glia. 2008; 57(1):108-17. DOI: 10.1002/glia.20744. View

Porter J, McCarthy K . Hippocampal astrocytes in situ respond to glutamate released from synaptic terminals. J Neurosci. 1996; 16(16):5073-81. PMC: 6579292. View

10.

Zhang Q, Pangrsic T, Kreft M, Krzan M, Li N, Sul J . Fusion-related release of glutamate from astrocytes. J Biol Chem. 2004; 279(13):12724-33. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M312845200. View

11.

Parpura V, Basarsky T, Liu F, Jeftinija K, Jeftinija S, Haydon P . Glutamate-mediated astrocyte-neuron signalling. Nature. 1994; 369(6483):744-7. DOI: 10.1038/369744a0. View

12.

Stigliani S, Zappettini S, Raiteri L, Passalacqua M, Melloni E, Venturi C . Glia re-sealed particles freshly prepared from adult rat brain are competent for exocytotic release of glutamate. J Neurochem. 2006; 96(3):656-68. DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2005.03631.x. View

13.

Kettenmann H, Verkhratsky A . Neuroglia: the 150 years after. Trends Neurosci. 2008; 31(12):653-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2008.09.003. View

14.

Volterra A, Meldolesi J . Astrocytes, from brain glue to communication elements: the revolution continues. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2005; 6(8):626-40. DOI: 10.1038/nrn1722. View

15.

Olabarria M, Noristani H, Verkhratsky A, Rodriguez J . Age-dependent decrease in glutamine synthetase expression in the hippocampal astroglia of the triple transgenic Alzheimer's disease mouse model: mechanism for deficient glutamatergic transmission?. Mol Neurodegener. 2011; 6:55. PMC: 3199854. DOI: 10.1186/1750-1326-6-55. View

16.

Hertz L, Zielke H . Astrocytic control of glutamatergic activity: astrocytes as stars of the show. Trends Neurosci. 2004; 27(12):735-43. DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2004.10.008. View

17.

Warr O, Takahashi M, Attwell D . Modulation of extracellular glutamate concentration in rat brain slices by cystine-glutamate exchange. J Physiol. 1999; 514 ( Pt 3):783-93. PMC: 2269108. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7793.1999.783ad.x. View

18.

Kimelberg H, Goderie S, Higman S, Pang S, Waniewski R . Swelling-induced release of glutamate, aspartate, and taurine from astrocyte cultures. J Neurosci. 1990; 10(5):1583-91. PMC: 6570070. View

19.

Parpura V, Verkhratsky A . The astrocyte excitability brief: from receptors to gliotransmission. Neurochem Int. 2011; 61(4):610-21. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2011.12.001. View

20.

Montana V, Malarkey E, Verderio C, Matteoli M, Parpura V . Vesicular transmitter release from astrocytes. Glia. 2006; 54(7):700-715. DOI: 10.1002/glia.20367. View