Molecular diversity of astrocytes with implications for neurological disorders. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • The astrocyte represents the most abundant yet least understood cell type of the CNS. Here, we use a stringent experimental strategy to molecularly define the astrocyte lineage by integrating microarray datasets across several in vitro model systems of astrocyte differentiation, primary astrocyte cultures, and various astrocyterich CNS structures. The intersection of astrocyte data sets, coupled with the application of nonastrocytic exclusion filters, yielded many astrocyte-specific genes possessing strikingly varied patterns of regional CNS expression. Annotation of these astrocyte-specific genes provides direct molecular documentation of the diverse physiological roles of the astrocyte lineage. This global perspective in the normal brain also provides a framework for how astrocytes may participate in the pathogenesis of common neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, epilepsy, and primary brain tumors.

publication date

  • May 21, 2004

Research

keywords

  • Astrocytes
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Nervous System Diseases

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC420403

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 2942558550

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1073/pnas.0402140101

PubMed ID

  • 15155908

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 101

issue

  • 22