The Metabolism of the Neuron-Glia Unit

Glial cells - also known as neuroglial cells - constitute a large fraction of the mammalian brain. Initially thought to hold the nervous system together, these cells are now known to regulate various functions in the nervous system, supporting neural cells during development, ensuring fast impulse conduction, modulating synaptic action, maintaining the homeostasis by actively clearing the metabolites and cell debris and providing trophic support to neurons. Whilst, the concept of metabolic coupling between neuron and glia has been entertained for years now, especially for astrocytes, in the recent years, original works have made huge advances in understanding molecular and cellular aspects of this coupling, investigating novel glial cell types, utilizing cutting edge technical tools, and developing novel animal models. Yet, there remain important gaps in the understanding of the neuron-glia metabolic coupling.
Our aim in this Research Topic is to include contributions from worldwide leading expert covering all the major types of glia in both the invertebrate and the vertebrate nervous systems.

Contributions may include, but are not limited to:
(i) methodology and tools to study coupling of the neuron-glia unit,
(ii) cellular and molecular aspect of the nervous system metabolism, with an emphasis on the metabolic interactions between neurons and glial cells,
(iii) neuron-glia metabolic coupling in trauma and diseases.

Altogether, we will bring different experimental approaches and model systems used to elucidate the metabolic coupling of neurons and glial cells and its contribution to normal development and pathologies.

The Research Topic image was kindly provided by Abigail Salinero.