%0 Journal Article
%A Lago-Baldaia, I
%A Fernandes, VM
%A Ackerman, SD
%D 2020
%F discovery:10118634
%J Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
%K glia, nervous system development, neural specification, circuit wiring, circuit function,  neurodevelopmental disorders, neurodegenerative disorders
%T More Than Mortar: Glia as Architects of Nervous System Development and Disease
%U https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10118634/
%V 8
%X Glial cells are an essential component of the nervous system of vertebrates and  invertebrates. In the human brain, glia are as numerous as neurons, yet the importance  of glia to nearly every aspect of nervous system development has only been expounded  over the last several decades. Glia are now known to regulate neural specification,  synaptogenesis, synapse function, and even broad circuit function. Given their ubiquity,  it is not surprising that the contribution of glia to neuronal disease pathogenesis is a  growing area of research. In this review, we will summarize the accumulated evidence  of glial participation in several distinct phases of nervous system development and  organization—neural specification, circuit wiring, and circuit function. Finally, we will  highlight how these early developmental roles of glia contribute to nervous system  dysfunction in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders
%Z This is an open-access  article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License  (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided  the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original  publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No  use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/