Rusakov, Dmitri A;
Jensen, Thomas P;
Tyurikova, Olga;
(2025)
The Active Astrocyte: Calcium Dynamics, Circuit Modulation, and Targets for Intervention.
Neurochemical Research
, 50
(5)
, Article 307. 10.1007/s11064-025-04553-1.
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Abstract
Astrocytes, once considered passive support cells, have emerged as active participants in synaptic communication through Ca2+-dependent molecular signalling often referred to as gliotransmission. This review highlights the pioneering contributions of Giorgio Carmignoto, whose work has helped to redefine astrocytes as integral components of the tripartite synapse. Central to this paradigm shift is the role of astrocytic Ca²⁺ signalling in modulating synaptic activity, plasticity, and network behaviour. Carmignoto's research demonstrated that intracellular Ca2+ fluctuations in astrocytes trigger the release of signalling molecules, influencing both excitatory and inhibitory neuronal circuits. These discoveries extended to network-level phenomena, implicating astrocytic Ca2+ waves in pathological states like epilepsy. Technologically, Carmignoto advanced astroglial research by employing genetically encoded calcium indicators, optogenetic tools, and cutting-edge imaging methods, including multi-photon microscopy, to observe astrocyte activity in vivo. His work also contributed to automated data analysis pipelines that uncover fine-scale astrocytic microdomain dynamics. In the context of pathology, Carmignoto's studies related astrocytic dysfunction to epilepsy and dopaminergic dysregulation, suggesting new therapeutic avenues through astrocyte-specific interventions. Despite these advances, challenges remain in defining gliotransmitter mechanisms, understanding astrocyte heterogeneity, and developing tools for precise functional manipulation.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | The Active Astrocyte: Calcium Dynamics, Circuit Modulation, and Targets for Intervention |
| Location: | United States |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11064-025-04553-1 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-025-04553-1 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. |
| Keywords: | Astrocyte calcium microdomains, Gliotransmission, Tripartite synapse, Astrocytes, Animals, Humans, Calcium Signaling, Calcium, Synapses, Synaptic Transmission |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology > Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10214860 |
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