The highly ramified processes of astrocytes enable cellular interactions and extracellular homeostasis. In this issue of Neuron, Stork et al. (2014) report that extension and elaboration of astrocyte processes in Drosophila is controlled by the release of FGF by neurons.
Microglia are highly dynamic components of the innate immune system. In this issue of Neuron, Elmore et al. (2014) report that global depletion of microglia triggers mobilization of latent microglial progenitors throughout the CNS, resulting in rapid repopulation.
Comment on “Bidirectional plasticity of calcium-permeable AMPA receptors in oligodendrocyte lineage cells.” [Nat Neurosci. 2011]
Comment on “PDGFRA/NG2 glia generate myelinating oligodendrocytes and piriform projection neurons in adult mice.” [Nat Neurosci. 2008]
Astrocytes undergo elevations in intracellular calcium following activation of metabotropic receptors, which may trigger glutamate secretion and excitation of surrounding neurons. In this issue of Neuron, Fiacco et al. use transgenic mice that express a foreign G(q)-coupled receptor in astrocytes to show that selective stimulation of astrocytes is not sufficient to induce the release of glutamate.
COMMENT ON “Changes in synaptic structure underlie the developmental speeding of AMPA receptor-mediated EPSCs.” [Nat Neurosci. 2005]