About this Research Topic
Glial cells are critical for almost all aspects of nervous system development and function. This includes synapse formation and activity, signal conduction, blood flow regulation and the response to pathology, just to name a few. Yet, the full extent and mechanistic underpinnings of glia-glia and glia-neuronal interactions are not fully resolved. Notably, cellular and molecular mechanisms governing glial cell development are often also engaged in nervous system plasticity, trauma and neuronal degeneration, as well as repair. Leveraging developmental biology to gain insights into pathology and vice-versa with a systems biology approach is critical for our understanding of brain function and necessary for treating, or even preventing, neurological diseases.
This Research Topic aims to highlight the mechanisms involved in nervous system development and pathological conditions with a focus on glial cells. The content will include cellular and molecular mechanisms governing glial cells in establishing and maintaining contacts with neurons or other glia; comparative studies of glial cells between different model systems or different glia types; and characterization of common or unifying glial mechanisms in healthy or diseased tissues.
As such, this Research Topic is accepting manuscripts that cover the following themes:
• Glial specification and tissue morphogenesis during development.
• Evolutionary studies exploring conserved mechanisms of glial development.
• Establishment of functional connections between neurons and glia.
• Role of glia in regulation of CNS homeostasis and plasticity.
• Glial signaling mechanisms in CNS injury responses and repair.
• Role of glia in ageing and neurodegenerative diseases
• Novel methods to study glia and their interactions with neurons
• New models to study glial development and disease
• Potential therapeutic strategies focused on developmental pathways in neurodegenerative disease
This Research Topic aims to highlight the mechanisms involved in nervous system development and pathological conditions with a focus on glial cells. The content will include cellular and molecular mechanisms governing glial cells in establishing and maintaining contacts with neurons or other glia; comparative studies of glial cells between different model systems or different glia types; and characterization of common or unifying glial mechanisms in healthy or diseased tissues.
As such, this Research Topic is accepting manuscripts that cover the following themes:
• Glial specification and tissue morphogenesis during development.
• Evolutionary studies exploring conserved mechanisms of glial development.
• Establishment of functional connections between neurons and glia.
• Role of glia in regulation of CNS homeostasis and plasticity.
• Glial signaling mechanisms in CNS injury responses and repair.
• Role of glia in ageing and neurodegenerative diseases
• Novel methods to study glia and their interactions with neurons
• New models to study glial development and disease
• Potential therapeutic strategies focused on developmental pathways in neurodegenerative disease
Keywords: glial cell, neurodegeneration, development, pathology, neuron
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
