کد مقاله | کد نشریه | سال انتشار | مقاله انگلیسی | نسخه تمام متن |
---|---|---|---|---|
6271087 | 1614753 | 2016 | 14 صفحه PDF | دانلود رایگان |
![عکس صفحه اول مقاله: ReviewBeyond neurovascular coupling, role of astrocytes in the regulation of vascular tone ReviewBeyond neurovascular coupling, role of astrocytes in the regulation of vascular tone](/preview/png/6271087.png)
- Constituents of the neurovascular unit.
- Role of astrocytes in the regulation of vascular tone.
- Functional significance for astrocyte-mediated vasodilation vs. vasoconstriction.
- Evidence for pericyte-evoked capillary dilation.
- Microglia a missing component of the neurovascular unit.
The brain possesses two intricate mechanisms that fulfill its continuous metabolic needs: cerebral autoregulation, which ensures constant cerebral blood flow over a wide range of arterial pressures and functional hyperemia, which ensures rapid delivery of oxygen and glucose to active neurons. Over the past decade, a number of important studies have identified astrocytes as key intermediaries in neurovascular coupling (NVC), the mechanism by which active neurons signal blood vessels to change their diameter. Activity-dependent increases in astrocytic Ca2+ activity are thought to contribute to the release of vasoactive substances that facilitate arteriole vasodilation. A number of vasoactive signals have been identified and their role on vessel caliber assessed both in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we discuss mechanisms implicating astrocytes in NVC-mediated vascular responses, limitations encountered as a result of the challenges in maintaining all the constituents of the neurovascular unit intact and deliberate current controversial findings disputing a main role for astrocytes in NVC. Finally, we briefly discuss the potential role of pericytes and microglia in NVC-mediated processes.
Journal: Neuroscience - Volume 323, 26 May 2016, Pages 96-109