Use All Your Brain, Not Only Neurons?

SEWilco writes: "Iowa State researchers found evidence that glial cells communicate in the brain. Previously it was thought that the neurons were active, but glial cells were only structural and nourishment objects. Apparently glial cells can influence neighboring neurons at least through glutamate signals. Details in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Maybe we still have a little more to learn about biology." I know, it's my second 'science question' headline of the day, but heck, most science headlines should end with a question mark.

Comments

"just glue?" P'shaw!

[laborit]

The experiment involved artificially increasing levels of calcium in astrocytes (a type of glial cell) while monitoring adjacent neurons for signs of response to released neurotransmitters. Since the levels of calcium required were comparable to those found in the natural environment, the researchers concluded that glial cells may control neurotransmitter balance in the brain as well. I'd like to know if there's evidence that glial cells also have functional calcium uptake pumps, and if their level of calcium fluctuates with blood level or remains constant. Unfortunately, reading the full article requires a paid subscription...

While this is interesting news, it's certainly not true that we ever thought of glia as (in the words of the press release) "little more than glue." Glial cells produce the myelin sheathing that allows motor signals to travel rapidly from the brain to the extremities, and their signals are important to laying down the organization of different areas in the early months of brain development. They're also an important adversary when it comes to repairing nerve damage in the periphery. Severed nerves actually try to grow back along their established pathways, but the glial cells poison them (presumably to prevent inappropriate overgrowth). Learning to inhibit this process may be the key to restoring limbs that are paralyzed.

- Michael Cohn