Astrocytes: GABAceptive and GABAergic Cells in the Brain

Jianhui Liu; Xuanran Feng; Yi Wang; Xiaohuan Xia; Jialin C Zheng

doi:10.3389/fncel.2022.892497

Astrocytes: GABAceptive and GABAergic Cells in the Brain

Front Cell Neurosci. 2022 Jun 10:16:892497. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2022.892497. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Jianhui Liu¹, Xuanran Feng¹, Yi Wang², Xiaohuan Xia^{1

3

4

5}, Jialin C Zheng^{1

3

4

5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
² Translational Research Center, Shanghai Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
³ Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Tongji Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
⁴ Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, Shanghai, China.
⁵ Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
⁶ Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Astrocytes, the most numerous glial cells in the brain, play an important role in preserving normal neural functions and mediating the pathogenesis of neurological disorders. Recent studies have shown that astrocytes are GABAceptive and GABAergic astrocytes express GABA_A receptors, GABA_B receptors, and GABA transporter proteins to capture and internalize GABA. GABAceptive astrocytes thus influence both inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmission by controlling the levels of extracellular GABA. Furthermore, astrocytes synthesize and release GABA to directly regulate brain functions. In this review, we highlight recent research progresses that support astrocytes as GABAceptive and GABAergic cells. We also summarize the roles of GABAceptive and GABAergic astrocytes that serve as an inhibitory node in the intercellular communication in the brain. Besides, we discuss future directions for further expanding our knowledge on the GABAceptive and GABAergic astrocyte signaling.

Keywords: GABA; astrocyte; brain; gliotransmitter; microglia; neuron.

Publication types

Review