Secretory phospholipase triggers activation of different pathways in astrocytoma cells

摘要

The majority of cells in the CNS of mammals, including humans, are glial cells. Despite the fact that all three glial elements have been recognised by anatomists early in this century, neuroscience research has focused, until recently, on the neuronal elements. However, a large body of evidence indicates that glial cells, in particular astrocytes, can interact with all brain cell types through a variety of receptors, signalling and cell-recognition molecules.. The interaction of astrocytes with their neighbouring cells, including neurones, oligodendrocytes and endothelial cells, becomes most important when studying the CNS. Astrocytes play a relevant role in the defence and control of the ionic and chemical environment of neurones; they are found throughout the CNS and are in intimate contact with the endothelial cells by their endfeet processes. They are, therefore in an ideal position to influence both the entries of hematogenous cells into the CNS and their activity once within the CNS parenchyma [1]