 |
Glial Cell
Biology and CNS Repair Laboratory
The central nervous system consists of two major cell populations: nerve cells and glial cells. Glial cells are subdivided into astrocytes, microglia and oligodendrocytes. Dysfunction and death of nerve cells and glia in the brain is a major determinant of the symptoms that develop in most neurological disorders. Studies in our laboratory are focused on the role of astrocytes in brain diseases, particularly in motor neuron disease and stroke.
Astrocytes greatly outnumber neurons and play many roles essential for normal brain function. These cells make important contributions to activities including provision of precursors for amino acid neurotransmitters, buffering of ionic changes in the extracellular fluid and metabolite trafficking from the blood. Studies in recent years have revealed additional complexities in the interchange of metabolites and intercellular messengers between astrocytes and neurons, further demonstrating the important influences of astrocytes on neuronal function. Astrocytes are also the major contributor to defence against oxidative damage and express glutamate transporters that clear excess glutamate from the synaptic cleft and the extracellular space. Loss of these transporters leads to excitotoxic damage. Thus, the extent of preservation of key astrocytic properties and the ability of these cells to mount appropriate defensive responses are likely to be important determinants of tissue viability in many neurological diseases.
Investigators
Hakan Muyderman, MD, PhD
Students
Josephine Malmevik, MSc, PhD Student (co-supervised with Neil Sims)
Benjaporn (June) Homkajorn, MBiotech, PhD Student (co-supervised with Neil Sims)
Wei Ping Yew, BMSc(Hons), PhD Student (co-supervised with Neil Sims)
Contacts
Research Projects
Collaborative Research
Prof Neil Sims, Medical Biochemistry, Flinders University
E.Prof Robert Rush, Human Physiology, Flinders University
Prof Michael Nilsson, Göteborg University, Sweden
Prof Yoshinobu Nakanishi, Kanazawa University,
Japan
Dr Julie Atkin, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia
Selected Recent Publications
Muyderman H, Yew WP, Homkajorn B and Sims NR (2010) Astrocytic responses to DNA delivery using Nucleofection. Neurochem Res, 35(11):1771-1779
Homkajorn B, Sims NR and Muyderman H (2010) Connexin 43 regulates astrocytic migration and proliferation in response to injury. Neurosci Lett, 486(3):197-201
Sims NR and Muyderman H (2010) Mitochondria, oxidative metabolism and cell death in stroke. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1802(1):80-91
Rogers M-L, Bailey S, Matusica D, Nicholson I, Muyderman H, Pagadala PC, Neet KE, Zola H, Macardle P and Rush RA (2010) ProNGF mediates death of Natural Killer cells through activation of the p75NTR-Sortlin complex. J of NeuroImmunology, 226(1-2):93-103
Wadey AL, Muyderman H and Sims NR (2009)
Mitochondrial glutathione uptake: characterization in isolated
brain mitochondria and astrocytes in culture. J Neurochemistry,
109 Suppl 1:101-8
Muyderman H, Hutson P, Matusica D, Rogers M-L and Rush RA (2009)
The human G93A-superoxide dismutase-1 mutation, mitochondrial glutathione
and apoptotic cell death. Neurochemical Research, 34(10):1847-56
Muyderman H, Wadey AL, Nilsson M, Sims NR (2007)
Mitochondrial glutathione protects against cell death induced by
oxidative and nitrative stress in astrocytes. J Neurochem.
102(4):1369-82
|
|
