Cross-talk between Glial Cells and Relationship in Multiple Sclerosis: An Overview | Chapter 10 | Current Topics in Medicine and Medical Research Vol. 1

 In medicine, the search for the cause of a disease has been critical to understanding the nature of the disorder and an important step towards the discovery of effective therapies and prevention. The search for a cause is more difficult than it may seem at first. For example, even if we find the mechanism by which the disease progresses, the questions would be: What started the process; then, if we have found the factors that initiated the process that will lead to questions as to what happened to this person, and at this very moment. The answer to research questions often raises more questions and that is how research progresses. Communication between the immune system and the Central nervous system (CNS), essential for maintaining homeostasis, is exemplified by cross-talk between glia and neurons. While actively microglia cells are modulated by neurons in the healthy brain, little is known about the cross-talk between oligodendrocytes and neurons. Oligodendrocytes, the myelin-forming cells in the CNS, are essential for the propagation of potentials action along axons, and additionally they serve to support neurons by neurotropic factors. In demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, oligodendrocytes are thought to be the victims. Also they have strong immune functions, express a wide variety of innate immune receptors, produce and respond to the chemokines and cytokines and modulate immune responses. In Addition, they elicit responses that cause progressive neurodegeneration. Under certain circumstances cells cross the blood brain barrier and reach the parenchyma, activating a cascade of events culminating in an inflammatory lesion and demyelization. The main participants of these attacks are the CD4+T cells, antigen presenting glia (microglia and astrocytes), macrophages and B cells. On the other hand further evidence support that the beginning of autoimmune response is initiated within the CNS; we should consider other theories to explain not only multiple sclerosis as an autoimmune disease, and that starts outside the central nervous system. There is an intimate relationship that we must pay more attention in our research: The dialogue neuron-glia; the cross-talk between oligodendroglia, microglia and neuron help us to uncover novel pathways in the brain. 

Author (s) Details

Genaro Gabriel Ortiz
Department of Philosophical and Methodological Disciplines, University Center of Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and Department of Neurology, High Specialty Medical Unit, Western National Medical Center, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

Fermín P. Pacheco-Moisés,
Department of Chemistry, University Center of Exact Sciences and Engineering, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

Blanca M. Torres-Mendoza,
Department of Philosophical and Methodological Disciplines, University Center of Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and Division of Neurosciences, Western Biomedical Research Center, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

Luis Javier Flores-Alvarado
Department of Biochemistry, University Center of Exact Sciences and Engineering, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

Mario A. Mireles- Ramírez
Department of Neurology, High Specialty Medical Unit, Western National Medical Center, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

Daniela L. Delgado-Lara
Department of Philosophical and Methodological Disciplines, University Center of Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

View Book :- http://bp.bookpi.org/index.php/bpi/catalog/book/195