“Physiology of Astroglia” (2017), by Alexei Verkhratsky et al. Neuroscience research paper. Original abstract below, unchanged. No free PDF was found.

Physiology of Astroglia

Alexei Verkhratsky, Maiken Nedergaard · December 24, 2017 · Neuroscience

Abstract

Astrocytes are neural cells of ectodermal, neuroepithelial origin that provide for homeostasis and defense of the central nervous system (CNS). Astrocytes are highly heterogeneous in morphological appearance; they express a multitude of receptors, channels, and membrane transporters. This complement underlies their remarkable adaptive plasticity that defines the functional maintenance of the CNS in development and aging. Astrocytes are tightly integrated into neural networks and act within the context of neural tissue; astrocytes control homeostasis of the CNS at all levels of organization from molecular to the whole organ.

Source page DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00042.2016