Glia: dos velhos conceitos às novas funções de hoje e as que ainda virão

Abstract

Described over 150 years ago, glial cells, nerve tissue constituents together with neurons, were until recently considered supporting cells of the brain. Especially in the last decade, the Neurosciences have witnessed a paradigm shift related to the function and role of these cells in neural physiology and pathology. In this chapter, we discuss how advances in the knowledgement about astrocytes, the most abundant glial cell type, contributed to the understanding of brain functioning. We will present evidence of the relationship between glial dysfunction and neurodegenerative diseases and neurological disorders, discussing the potential role of these cells in the development of therapeutic approaches for the adult nervous system.