Astrocytes take the stage in a tale of signaling-metabolism coupling.

J Biol Chem

From the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2 Universitetsparken, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark

Published: June 2017

Astrocytes are crucial cells in the brain that are intimately coupled with neuronal metabolism. A new paper from San Martín provides evidence that physiological levels of the gaseous signal molecule NO can rapidly and reversibly increase astrocyte metabolism of glucose and production of lactate. A proposed neurological coupling-from the potential source of NO, endothelial cells, to the potential beneficiary from the lactate, neurons-prompts new questions regarding the controversial role of lactate in the brain.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5454123PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.H117.777243DOI Listing

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