The multiple scales of astrocytic functional units
Oliveira JF, Agarwal A, Beckervordersandforth R, Curreli S, Denizot A, Dulla C, Enger R, Goda Y, Goshen I, Holt MG, Nimmerjahn A, Perea G, Scimemi A, Henneberger C (2026)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2026
Journal
Book Volume: 29
Pages Range: 1279-1292
Journal Issue: 6
DOI: 10.1038/s41593-026-02308-x
Abstract
Astrocytes modulate brain processes such as neurotransmitter signaling, ion homeostasis, vascular tone, metabolism and synaptic transmission, and serve a critical role in complex brain functions. However, it remains unclear on which spatial scales these functions are organized in astrocytes and their networks: for instance, whether astrocytic interactions with neurons are organized into units at the level of individual perisynaptic processes and synapses, astrocytic domains covering synapse populations, or astrocytic networks controlling local neuronal circuits. Here we analyze astrocytic morphological features and molecular heterogeneity to define the multiple spatial scales on which astrocytes operate. We further discuss evidence regarding their intracellular and intercellular signaling, their role in neurotransmitter homeostasis and their neurotransmitter-mediated dialog with neurons, supporting the existence of astrocytic functional units with distinct spatial scales. We propose that astrocytes constitute a multilayered system of functional units that operate across multiple spatial scales, thereby increasing the degrees of freedom in brain information processing.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Universidade do Minho
Portugal (PT)
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
Germany (DE)
Italian Institute of Technology / Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)
Italy (IT)
Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCB)
France (FR)
Tufts University
United States (USA) (US)
University of Oslo
Norway (NO)
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) / 沖縄科学技術大学院大学
Japan (JP)
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
Germany (DE)
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
United States (USA) (US)
Spanish National Research Council / Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Spain (ES)
State University of New York at Albany (UNY Albany / UAlbany)
United States (USA) (US)
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Israel (IL)
Universidade do Porto
Portugal (PT)
Portugal (PT)
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
Germany (DE)
Italian Institute of Technology / Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)
Italy (IT)
Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCB)
France (FR)
Tufts University
United States (USA) (US)
University of Oslo
Norway (NO)
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) / 沖縄科学技術大学院大学
Japan (JP)
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
Germany (DE)
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
United States (USA) (US)
Spanish National Research Council / Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Spain (ES)
State University of New York at Albany (UNY Albany / UAlbany)
United States (USA) (US)
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Israel (IL)
Universidade do Porto
Portugal (PT)
How to cite
APA:
Oliveira, J.F., Agarwal, A., Beckervordersandforth, R., Curreli, S., Denizot, A., Dulla, C.,... Henneberger, C. (2026). The multiple scales of astrocytic functional units. Nature Neuroscience, 29(6), 1279-1292. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-026-02308-x
MLA:
Oliveira, João Filipe, et al. "The multiple scales of astrocytic functional units." Nature Neuroscience 29.6 (2026): 1279-1292.
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