Glial Cell Development

Glial cell function and development have now become a major focus of research in the neurosciences. Distinct glial progenitors have been identified, key glial genes have been cloned and the growth factor regulation of glial survival, proliferation and function is being unravelled. as a result, it will soon be possible to understand, at the molecular level, some vital glial functions, such as myelination and regulation of axon growth and repair. From the viewpoint of neuropathology, these studies provide exciting clues about how glial cells might be involved in nervous system disorders. This should result in the development of therapeutic strategies involving the transplantation of normal or genetically modified glial cells into damaged nervous tissue. In this book, leading researchers review recent advances in the knowledge of all classes of glia, and describes how this knowledge is now being harnessed for the treatment of human disease.