Astrocyte Calcium Signaling

Astrocytes are predominant glial cells that tile the central nervous system and participate in well-established functional and morphological interactions with neurons, blood vessels, and other glia. These ubiquitous cells display rich intracellular Ca²⁺ signaling, which has now been studied for over 30 years. In this review, we provide a summary and perspective of recent progress concerning the study of astrocyte intracellular Ca²⁺ signaling as well as discussion of its potential functions. Progress has occurred in the areas of imaging, silencing, activating, and analyzing astrocyte Ca²⁺ signals. These insights have collectively permitted exploration of the relationships of astrocyte Ca²⁺ signals to neural circuit function and behavior in a variety of species. We summarize these aspects along with a framework for mechanistically interpreting behavioral studies to identify directly causal effects. We finish by providing a perspective on new avenues of research concerning astrocyte Ca²⁺ signaling.