Circadian rhythms and glial cells of the central nervous system |
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| Authors: | Aurélie Brécier Vina W. Li Chloé S. Smith Katherine Halievski Nader Ghasemlou |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Pain Chronobiology & Neuroimmunology Laboratory, Queen's University, Botterell Hall, room 754, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6 Canada;2. Pain Chronobiology & Neuroimmunology Laboratory, Queen's University, Botterell Hall, room 754, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6 Canada Department of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, 18 Stuart Street, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6 Canada |
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| Abstract: | Glial cells are the most abundant cells in the central nervous system and play crucial roles in neural development, homeostasis, immunity, and conductivity. Over the past few decades, glial cell activity in mammals has been linked to circadian rhythms, the 24-h chronobiological clocks that regulate many physiological processes. Indeed, glial cells rhythmically express clock genes that cell-autonomously regulate glial function. In addition, recent findings in rodents have revealed that disruption of the glial molecular clock could impact the entire organism. In this review, we discuss the impact of circadian rhythms on the function of the three major glial cell types – astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes – across different locations within the central nervous system. We also review recent evidence uncovering the impact of glial cells on the body's circadian rhythm. Together, this sheds new light on the involvement of glial clock machinery in various diseases. |
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| Keywords: | circadian rhythms glial cells central nervous system clock genes pathology microglia astrocytes oligodendrocytes |
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