Glial cells: The other cells of the nervous system |
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Authors: | Medha S Rajadhyaksha Yasmin Khan |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Neuropathology and Applied Biology, Medical Research Center, Mumbai, India;(2) Sophia College, Mumbai, India |
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Abstract: | Carl Ludwig Schleich (1859–1922) was an anaesthetist and a surgeon who for the first time emphasized the role of neuroglia
in brain function. In an era that was dominated by the idea that neurons alone were functional units of the nervous system
and that glial cells were a mere glue holding neurons in place, Schleich insisted that glia had a prominent functional role
to play. He suggested that interactions between neurons and glia were so strong that it is necessary to consider brain as
a neuron-glia system whose performance is dependent on both the cell types. Today Carl Ludwig Schleich is considered the forgotten
ancestor to a new breed of neurobiologists, the gliologists, who specialize in working on these neglected cells of the nervous
system. Though outnumbering the neurons and occupying almost half the volume of the brain, glial cells have been given little
importance in textbooks of neurobiology and are very often cursorily mentioned in discussions related to brain function. Glial
cells deserve a better deal, for over the years a lot of evidence has accumulated to prove that they perform a wide spectrum
of functions. This is the first of a series of articles that aims to update students on what is known about glia today. It
provides an overview of the various types of glia and their origins. The following articles will deal with each of the glial
sub-types and their functions. |
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Keywords: | Astrocytes microglia oligodendrocytes Schwann cells |
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