星形胶质细胞的形态可塑性：理解突触微环境

Morphological plasticity of astroglia:Understanding synaptic microenvironment

在大脑中记忆的形成被认为是依赖突触连接的重塑,最终导致神经网络重构。这种重塑可能涉及兴奋性突触附近经常发生的超薄星形胶质细胞突起。这种星形胶质细胞重组的现象、细胞机制和因果关系,仍然知之甚少。这在很大程度上是因为监测和探索纳米级星形胶质细胞结构的基础分子机械技术仍然是一个挑战。本文简要地总结了目前关于突触微环境下星形胶质细胞的细胞组织知识,讨论可能涉及依赖星形胶质细胞形态发生的分子机制。本文还讨论了最近有关星形胶质细胞的形态可塑性的观察,相应的监测方法,和一些可能有助于该领域进展的新兴技术。

Memory formation in the brain is thought to rely on the remodeling of synaptic connections which eventually results in neural network rewiring. This remodeling is likely to involve ultrathin astroglial protrusions which often occur in the immediate vicinity of excitatory synapses. The phenomenology, cellular mechanisms, and causal relationships of such astroglial restructuring remain, however, poorly understood. This is in large part because monitoring and probing of the underpinning molecular machinery on the scale of nanoscopic astroglial compartments remains a challenge. Here we briefly summarize the current knowledge regarding the cellular or- ganisation of astroglia in the synaptlc microenvironment and discuss molecular mechanisms potentially involved in use-dependent astroglial morphogenesis. We also discuss recent observations concerning morphological as- troglial plasticity, the respective monitoring methods, and some of the newly emerging techniques that might help with conceptual advances in the area.