About this Research Topic
Autophagy, the catabolic recycling system of the cell, plays an essential role in brain physiology and pathophysiology. Autophagy is a key component of the major neurodegenerative diseases, being essential for neuronal development and survival. Besides neurons, autophagy is also fundamental in maintaining homeostasis of glial cells, which are emerging as strategic components of neurodegenerative diseases. As example of the importance of this catabolic pathway in glial cells, autophagy in astrocytes regulates metabolism and clearance of toxic components, and canonical and non-canonical autophagy are emerging as crucial regulators of microglial immune function. In addition, autophagy promotes maturation and survival of oligodendroglia, and it is required for coping the high energy demand of the myelination process.
Autophagy is essential for physiological brain function and deregulation of autophagy in neurons and glial cells is increasingly linked to neurodegenerative diseases and other brain pathologies. Therefore, exploring the role of autophagy in each of the cell components of the central nervous system, as well as in the interactions between the different cell types could help understanding the cellular basis of brain diseases, and contribute to the development of new therapeutic tools.
The goal of this Research Topic is therefore to highlight the role of autophagy in neurons and glia, as well as the implications of cell type-dependent autophagy deregulation in the pathology of brain diseases.
In this Research Topic we compile Original Research and Review articles that focus on the role of autophagy in neurons, glia, and neuron-glia interactions, as well as the consequences of autophagy malfunction to overall CNS functioning.
· Novel aspects of neuronal autophagy and its role in CNS diseases
· Autophagy contribution to the physiology of glial cells and its role in CNS diseases
· Contribution of autophagy to the maintenance of neuron-glia interactions
· Selective types autophagy in neurons and glia
· Therapeutic approaches to modulate autophagy in the brain
This collection derived from research presented at the Keystone Symposia 'Autophagy: Mechanisms and Disease', held on October 5-8, 2020.
Keywords: autophagy, glia, 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.
