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2014
Long relegated to the status of simple support cells, astrocytes are now recognized as key players in brain communication.
In this image by Yann Bernardinelli, captured at the heart of the hippocampus, the brain structure dedicated to memory, these glial cells unfold in a luminous, branched, living network.
Here, astrocytes regulate ion and neurotransmitter levels, supply neurons with energy, and participate in the formation and elimination of synaptic connections.
GFAP labeling reveals their shape, distribution and transformations in pathologies such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease and gliomas, tumors originating from these same cells.
Each extension visible here embodies a discreet but fundamental dialogue between glial cells and neurons, a noiseless coordination... that makes thought possible.