Journal
JOURNAL OF CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW AND METABOLISM
Volume 42, Issue 5, Pages 738-745Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/0271678X221077343
Keywords
Energy metabolism; K+ buffering; ATP turnover; Na+/K+ ATPase; Kir4.1; reactive astrocyte
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Funding
- Fondecyt Grant [1200029]
- ANID-BMBF Grant [180045]
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Previously, it was believed that the energy cost of information processing was mainly attributed to neurons, with a minor fraction allocated to glial cells. However, there is compelling evidence that astrocytes also contribute significantly to this energy cost as they actively capture synaptic K+ using their Na+/K+ ATPase. This finding challenges the previous belief that astrocytes solely rely on Kir4.1 channels for K+ uptake. The implications of this discovery for reactive astrogliosis and brain diseases are discussed.
The energy cost of information processing is thought to be chiefly neuronal, with a minor fraction attributed to glial cells. However, there is compelling evidence that astrocytes capture synaptic K+ using their Na+/K+ ATPase, and not solely through Kir4.1 channels as was once thought. When this active buffering is taken into account, the cost of astrocytes rises by >200%. Gram-per-gram, astrocytes turn out to be as expensive as neurons. This conclusion is supported by 3D reconstruction of the neuropil showing similar mitochondrial densities in neurons and astrocytes, by cell-specific transcriptomics and proteomics, and by the rates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Possible consequences for reactive astrogliosis and brain disease are discussed.
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