The identification of the presence of active signaling between astrocytes and neurons in a
process termed gliotransmission has caused a paradigm shift in our thinking about brain …

Oligodendrocytes, the myelin-forming cells of the central nervous system (CNS), and
astrocytes constitute macroglia. This review deals with the recent progress related to the …

From a structural perspective, the predominant glial cell of the central nervous system, the
astrocyte, is positioned to regulate synaptic transmission and neurovascular coupling: the …

Astrocytes are highly complex cells that respond to a variety of external stimulations. One of
the chief functions of astrocytes is to optimize the interstitial space for synaptic transmission …

Calcium waves represent a widespread form of intercellular communication. Although they
have been thought for a long time to require gap junctions, we recently demonstrated that …

Intercellular calcium (Ca2+) waves (ICWs) represent the propagation of increases in
intracellular Ca2+ through a syncytium of cells and appear to be a fundamental mechanism …

Several lines of evidence indicate that the elaborated calcium signals and the occurrence of
calcium waves in astrocytes provide these cells with a specific form of excitability. The …

Although astrocytes are the most abundant cell type in the brain, evidence for their activation
during physiological sensory activity is lacking. Here we show that whisker stimulation …

Forced expression of gap junction proteins, connexins, enables gap junction-deficient cell
lines to propagate intercellular calcium waves. Here, we show that ATP secretion from the …

Gap junctions consist of intercellular channels that connect the cytoplasm of adjacent cells
directly and allow the exchange of small molecules. These channels are unique in that they …