Dusica Maysinger* and Jeff Ji Pages 3905 - 3916 ( 12 )
Biological and synthetic nanostructures can influence both glia and neurons in the central nervous system. Neurons represent only a small proportion (about 10%) of cells in the brain, whereas glial cells are the most abundant cell type. Non-targeted nanomedicines are mainly internalized by glia, in particular microglia, and to a lesser extent by astrocytes. Internalized nanomedicines by glia indirectly modify the functional status of neurons. The mechanisms of biochemical, morphological and functional changes of neural cells exposed to nanomedicines are still not well-understood. This minireview provides a cross-section of morphological and biochemical changes in glial cells and neurons exposed to different classes of hard and soft nanostructures.
Microglia, astrocytes, neurons, nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, dendritic polyglycerols, lysosomes, confocal microscopy, organotypic cultures.
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3AOG4, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3AOG4