Flavonoids are a group of low molecular weight polyphenolic compounds derived from plants. 5,7-dihydroxy-8methoxy ̄avone (Wogonin), a ̄avonoid originated from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, has been shown to exert various anti-in ̄ammatory effects such as inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 production in macrophages. Because glial cells have been previously shown to ...

In this study we evaluated the activation of the cytokine and growth factor responsive transcription factors signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and nuclear factor kappa B (NFkappaB) after different grades of neural damage in the immature rat brain using double immunocytochemical techniques and electron microscopy. Following neocortical N-methyl-D-aspartate induced excito...

BACKGROUND Glial cells, including microglia and astrocytes, are considered the primary source of proinflammatory cytokines in the brain. Immune insults stimulate glial cells to secrete proinflammatory cytokines that modulate the acute systemic response, which includes fever, behavioral changes, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation. We investigated the effect of general anest...

Neuronal injury triggers robust responses from glial cells, including altered gene expression and enhanced phagocytic activity to ensure prompt removal of damaged neurons. The molecular underpinnings of glial responses to trauma remain unclear. Here, we find that the evolutionarily conserved insulin-like signaling (ILS) pathway promotes glial phagocytic clearance of degenerating axons in adult ...

background : cd117 is a thyrosin kinase receptor encoded by c-kit proto-oncogene. it is expressed during normal development in some tissues and also in a subset of neoplasia especially gastrointestinal stromal tumors   (gists). treatment with thyrosin kinase inhibitors (e.g., imatinib) is useful in cd117- positive gists. the goal of this study is to investigate the expression of cd117 in glial ...

Fucoidan is an active constituent found in brown seaweeds, which have potential neuroprotection. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of fucoidan on the maintenance of neuropathic pain induced by L5 spinal nerve ligation (SNL) and the underlying mechanism related to the spinal neuroimmune responses. Animals were randomized into 5 groups: sham-operation with vehicle and SNL with ve...

During Drosophila neurogenesis, glial differentiation depends on the expression of glial cells missing (gcm). Understanding how glial fate is achieved thus requires knowledge of the temporal and spatial control mechanisms directing gcm expression. A recent report showed that in the adult bristle lineage, gcm expression is negatively regulated by Notch signaling ( Van De Bor, V. and Giangrande, ...

Over the past few years, the control of pain exerted by glial cells has emerged as a promising target against pathological pain. Indeed, changes in glial phenotypes have been reported throughout the entire nociceptive pathway, from peripheral nerves to higher integrative brain regions, and pharmacological inhibition of such glial reactions reduces the manifestation of pain in animal models. Thi...

Depressive disorders are complex, multifactorial mental disorders with unknown neurobiology. Numerous theories aim to explain the pathophysiology. According to the "gliocentric theory", glial abnormalities are responsible for the development of the disease. The aim of this review article is to summarize the rapidly growing number of cellular and molecular evidences indicating disturbed glial fu...

Glia, or glial cells, are considered a vital component of the nervous system, serving as an electrical insulator and protective barrier from interstitial (extracellular) media. Certain cells (i.e., astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes) within CNS have been shown to directly affect neural functions, but these properties challenging study due difficulty involved with selectively-activating spe...