Astrocytes

Recent articles

A hand points to a chalkboard with an astrocyte on it.

How to teach this paper: ‘Neurotoxic reactive astrocytes are induced by activated microglia,’ by Liddelow et al. (2017)

Shane Liddelow and his collaborators identified the factors that transform astrocytes from their helpful to harmful form. Their work is a great choice if you want to teach students about glial cell types, cell culture, gene expression or protein measurement.

By Ashley Juavinett
30 June 2025 | 10 min read
Research image of altered neural connections induced by norepinephrine.

Astrocytes sense neuromodulators to orchestrate neuronal activity and shape behavior

Astrocytes serve as crucial mediators of neuromodulatory processes previously attributed to direct communication between neurons, four new studies show.

By Claudia López Lloreda
27 June 2025 | 9 min listen
Memory astrocytes.

Null and Noteworthy: Reanalysis contradicts report of immune memory in astrocytes

The analysis, which has not yet been peer reviewed, attributes the finding to misidentified immune cells instead.

By Laura Dattaro
30 April 2025 | 5 min read
Illustration of astrocytes in a petri dish.

This paper changed my life: Shane Liddelow on two papers that upended astrocyte research

A game-changing cell culture method developed in Ben Barres’ lab completely transformed the way we study astrocytes and helped me build a career studying their reactive substates.

By Shane Liddelow
23 April 2025 | 7 min listen
Astrocytes in a mouse brain.

Unexpected astrocyte gene flips image of brain’s ‘stalwart sentinels’

The genetic marker upends the accepted orientation of non-star-like astrocytes in the glia limitans superficialis.

By Lauren Schenkman
28 March 2025 | 5 min read
Research image of brain glucose levels in mice.

Food for thought: Neuronal fuel source more flexible than previously recognized

The cells primarily rely on glucose—rather than lactate from astrocytes—to generate energy, according to recent findings in mice.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
7 February 2025 | 6 min read
Colorful illustration of a latticework of proteins.

Cracking the code of the extracellular matrix

Despite evidence for a role in plasticity and other crucial functions, many neuroscientists still view these proteins as “brain goop.” The field needs technical advances and a shift in scientific thinking to move beyond this outdated perspective.

By Anna Victoria Molofsky
17 January 2025 | 5 min read
Research image of astrocytes in red activating alongside neurons in green in response to specific fear memories in mice.

Astrocytes star in memory storage, recall

The cells, long cast as support players in memory research, can activate or disrupt fear memories, according to a new study.

By Angie Voyles Askham
6 November 2024 | 5 min read
A research image showing astrocytes and neurons

‘SNAP’ dance of astrocytes and neurons falls out of step with age, disease

The findings add to growing evidence that astrocytes are star players in cognition.

By Laura Dattaro
6 March 2024 | 6 min read
Image of excitatory synapses in mouse brains.

Dispute erupts over role of sticky proteins in astrocytes

But multiple independent researchers say they are not convinced by its results, which fail to confirm high-profile findings from 2017.

By Lauren Schenkman
10 July 2023 | 9 min listen

Explore more from The Transmitter

Bringing neuroscience to rural Mexico: In conversation with Mónica López-Hidalgo

By offering education and translating scientific terms into Indigenous languages, López-Hidalgo’s outreach program, Neurociencias Para Todos, provides schoolteachers with tools to bring neuroscience to their communities.

By Ashley Juavinett
1 September 2025 | 5 min read

Llevando la neurociencia al México rural: En conversación Mónica López-Hidalgo

A través de la educación y traducción de términos científicos en lenguas indígenas, el programa Neurociencias Para Todos provee de herramientas a maestros para llevar la neurociencia a sus comunidades.

By Ashley Juavinett
1 September 2025 | 6 min read
Research image of neuron organization in c elegans.

Worms help untangle brain structure/function mystery

The synaptic connectome of most animals bears little resemblance to functional brain maps, but it can still predict neuronal activity, according to two preprints that tackle the puzzle in C. elegans

By Holly Barker
29 August 2025 | 7 min read

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