The Biological Characteristics of Astrocytes and Application in Neurological Diseases
The Composition of The Brain Nervous System The brain spheres are broadly composed of two types of cells: neurons and glial cells[1]. Neurons are the anatomical, functional, and nutritional units of the brain. Although, the size and shape of neurons are quite different, they have common morphological characteristics and are important substances in complex communication networks[2]. Glial cells are vital for maintaining hemostasis, protecting neurons and forming myelin in the Central Nervous System(CNS)[3]. There are mainly three types of glial cells, including microglia , which are essential for the immune response of the central nervous system; oligodendrocytes , which provide myelin and support for neurons; astrocytes , which are crucial for neuron nutrition providing and brain repairing[4]. The study of Buffo et al has shown that during brain injury, astrocytes acquire stem cell properties and hence may contribute in cell repair after brain injury[5]. The Characteri