The diversity of intermediate filaments in astrocytes

Potokar, Maja (author), Morita, Mitsuhiro (author), Wiche, Gerhard (author), Jorgačevski, Jernej (author)

Despite the remarkable complexity of the individual neuron and of neuronal circuits, it has been clear for quite a while that, in order to understand the functioning of the brain, the contribution of other cell types in the brain have to be accounted for. Among glial cells, astrocytes have multiple roles in orchestrating neuronal functions. Their communication with neurons by exchanging signaling molecules and removing molecules from extracellular space takes place at several levels and is governed by different cellular processes, supported by multiple cellular structures, including the cytoskeleton. Intermediate filaments in astrocytes are emerging as important integrators of cellular processes. Astrocytes express five types of intermediate filaments: glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP); vimentin; nestin; synemin; lamins. Variability, interactions with different cellular structures and the particular roles of individual intermediate filaments in astrocytes have been studied extensively in the case of GFAP and vimentin, but far less attention has been given to nestin, synemin and lamins. Similarly, the interplay between different types of cytoskeleton and the interaction between the cytoskeleton and membranous structures, which is mediated by cytolinker proteins, are understudied in astrocytes. The present review summarizes the basic properties of astrocytic intermediate filaments and of other cytoskeletal macromolecules, such as cytolinker proteins, and describes the current knowledge of their roles in normal physiological and pathological conditions.

• Language: English
• Keywords: astrocytes, intermediate filaments, vimentin, GFAP, nestin, synemin, plectin, cytolinker proteins, reactive gliosis
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.02 - Review Article
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2020
• Number of pages: 24 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 9, iss. 7, art. 1604
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-133823
• UDC: 616-092
• ISSN on article: 2073-4409
• DOI: 10.3390/cells9071604
• COBISS.SI-ID: 21974019
• Publication date in RUL: 16.12.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Cells
• Shortened title: Cells
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2073-4409
• COBISS.SI-ID: 519958809

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 02.07.2020

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: astrociti, vmesni filamenti, vimentin