"Astrocytes" is a descriptor in the National Library of Medicine's controlled vocabulary thesaurus,
MeSH (Medical Subject Headings). Descriptors are arranged in a hierarchical structure,
which enables searching at various levels of specificity.
A class of large neuroglial (macroglial) cells in the central nervous system - the largest and most numerous neuroglial cells in the brain and spinal cord. Astrocytes (from "star" cells) are irregularly shaped with many long processes, including those with "end feet" which form the glial (limiting) membrane and directly and indirectly contribute to the BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER. They regulate the extracellular ionic and chemical environment, and "reactive astrocytes" (along with MICROGLIA) respond to injury.
| Descriptor ID |
D001253
|
| MeSH Number(s) |
A08.637.200 A11.650.200
|
| Concept/Terms |
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Below are MeSH descriptors whose meaning is more general than "Astrocytes".
Below are MeSH descriptors whose meaning is more specific than "Astrocytes".
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Below are the most recent publications written about "Astrocytes" by people in Profiles.