Heterogeneity in astrocyte morphology and physiology

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Item Type:	Review
Title:	Heterogeneity in astrocyte morphology and physiology
Creators Name:	Matyash, V. and Kettenmann, H.
Abstract:	Astrocytes as a cell population are not well defined and comprise a heterogeneous population of cells. There are at least 9 different morphological variants which can coexist within one given brain region. Human astrocytes have a considerably more complex morphology as their rodent counterparts. There are also a number of functional differences depending on brain region and developmental stage in the normal (not pathologic) brain. Astrocytes can differ in functional gap junctional coupling, expression of transmitter receptors, membrane currents and glutamate transporters. We feel that astrocyte heterogeneity has not yet been thoroughly explored and what we report here will just be a beginning of a new field of research.
Keywords:	Astrocyte, Membrane Current, Transmitter Receptor, Gap Junction, Morphology, Heterogeneity, Animals
Source:	Brain Research Reviews
ISSN:	0165-0173
Publisher:	Elsevier
Volume:	63
Number:	1-2
Page Range:	2-10
Date:	May 2010
Official Publication:	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresrev.2009.12.001
PubMed:	View item in PubMed

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