Effects of astrocytes on neuronal dynamics

Abstract

Astrocytes are star-shaped glia cells and the most common cell type in the human brain with neurons. Astrocytes fulfill many functions in human brain. Providing support to the cells of the blood-brain barrier, balancing the extracellular ion concentration, supplying nutrients to the nerve tissue, and controlling the development of nerve cells are some of these tasks. In this study, the effects of calcium (Ca2+) ion concentration oscillations occuring in astrocytes on the neuron firing dynamics are investigated. When the obtained results are examined, it is observed that the production rate of insole 1,4,5-Triphosphate (IP3), which is an agent that triggers calcium release from the resoruces in astrocytes, and the degradation time of that within the cell are important effects on the spike production dynamics of the neuron in contact with astrocyte. It is determined that neurons without any stimulation continue to produce spikes through calcium oscillations in the astrocytes, at high IP3 production rates and longer IP3 degradation times. © 2018 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.