Morphological plasticity of astroglia: Understanding synaptic microenvironment

摘要: Memory formation in the brain is thought to rely on remodeling of synaptic connections which eventually results neural network rewiring. This likely involve ultrathin astroglial protrusions often occur immediate vicinity excitatory synapses. The phenomenology, cellular mechanisms, and causal relationships such restructuring remain, however, poorly understood. large part because monitoring probing underpinning molecular machinery scale nanoscopic compartments remains a challenge. Here we briefly summarize current knowledge regarding organisation astroglia microenvironment discuss mechanisms potentially involved use‐dependent morphogenesis. We also recent observations concerning morphological plasticity, respective methods, some newly emerging techniques that might help with conceptual advances area. GLIA 2015;63:2133–2151