AUTHOR=Bantle Collin M. , Hirst Warren D. , Weihofen Andreas , Shlevkov Evgeny 

TITLE=Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Astrocytes: A Role in Parkinson’s Disease?

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cell-and-developmental-biology/articles/10.3389/fcell.2020.608026

DOI=10.3389/fcell.2020.608026

ISSN=2296-634X

ABSTRACT=<p>Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cell type in the brain and are thought to play a pivotal role in the progression of PD. Emerging evidence suggests that many astrocytic functions, including glutamate metabolism, Ca<sup>2+</sup> signaling, fatty acid metabolism, antioxidant production, and inflammation are dependent on healthy mitochondria. Here, we review how mitochondrial dysfunction impacts astrocytes, highlighting translational gaps and opening new questions for therapeutic development.</p>