Michael V. Sofroniew

TL;DR: Astrocyte functions in healthy CNS, mechanisms and functions of reactive astrogliosis and glial scar formation, and ways in which reactive astrocytes may cause or contribute to specific CNS disorders and lesions are reviewed.

TL;DR: Developments in the signaling mechanisms that regulate specific aspects of reactive astrogliosis are reviewed and the potential to identify novel therapeutic molecular targets for diverse neurological disorders is highlighted.

TL;DR: The findings show that reactive astrocytes provide essential activities that protect tissue and preserve function after mild or moderate SCI, and suggest that identifying ways to preserve reactive astracytes, to augment their protective functions, or both, may lead to novel approaches to reducing secondary tissue degeneration and improving functional outcome after SCI.

TL;DR: Interestingly, RNA sequencing revealed that astrocytes and non-astrocyte cells in SCI lesions express multiple axon-growth-supporting molecules, showing that contrary to the prevailing dogma, astroCyte scar formation aids rather than prevents central nervous system axon regeneration.

TL;DR: Expanded roles for NGF that are associated with the dynamically regulated production of NGF and its receptors that begins in development, extends throughout adult life and aging, and involves a surprising variety of neurons, glia, and nonneural cells are considered.