Sonic hedgehog signaling in astrocytes.
Cell Mol Life Sci
; 78(4): 1393-1403, 2021 Feb.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33079226
ABSTRACT
Astrocytes are complex cells that perform a broad array of essential functions in the healthy and injured nervous system. The recognition that these cells are integral components of various processes, including synapse formation, modulation of synaptic activity, and response to injury, underscores the need to identify the molecular signaling programs orchestrating these diverse functional properties. Emerging studies have identified the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway as an essential regulator of the molecular identity and functional properties of astrocytes. Well established as a powerful regulator of diverse neurodevelopmental processes in the embryonic nervous system, its functional significance in astrocytes is only beginning to be revealed. Notably, Shh signaling is active only in discrete subpopulations of astrocytes distributed throughout the brain, a feature that has potential to yield novel insights into functional specialization of astrocytes. Here, we discuss Shh signaling and emerging data that point to essential roles for this pleiotropic signaling pathway in regulating various functional properties of astrocytes in the healthy and injured brain.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Astrocitos
/
Proteínas Hedgehog
/
Neurogénesis
/
Sistema Nervioso
Límite:
Animals
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Cell Mol Life Sci
Asunto de la revista:
BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR
Año:
2021
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos