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Dirty Med -Understanding Different Types of Glial Cells

Apr 1, 2025

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Rapid Review of Glial Cells

Purpose of the Video

  • Rapid review of glial cell types due to frequent questioning.
  • Aim: Ensure viewers never get questions on glial cells wrong again.

Types of Glial Cells

  1. Astrocytes
  2. Microglia
  3. Schwann Cells
  4. Oligodendrocytes
  5. Ependymal Cells

Detailed Overview

Astrocytes

  • Appearance: Star-like cells.
  • Function:
    • Maintain the chemical environment for signaling.
    • Supportive role in the CNS by maintaining the proper extracellular environment.
    • Involved in the maintenance of the blood-brain barrier.
    • Participate in reactive gliosis (brain's response to injury).
  • Key Identifier: GFAP presence = Astrocytes.
  • Communication: Via gap junctions.
  • Abundance: Most abundant cells in the brain.
  • Mnemonic: Astro = Star; stars of the extracellular environment.

Microglia

  • Size: Small cells.
  • Function:
    • Responsible for phagocytosis in the CNS.
    • Act as the brain's macrophages.
    • Form reactive oxygen species, which help in phagocytosis of pathogens but may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases.
  • Origin: Derived from the mesoderm.
  • Mnemonic: Micro = small; CNS macrophages.

Myelination Cells

  • Two types involved:
    1. Oligodendrocytes
    2. Schwann Cells

Oligodendrocytes

  • Function: Myelination in the CNS (brain and spinal cord).
  • Origin: Derived from neuroectoderm.
  • Pathology: Damaged in leukodystrophies.
  • Appearance under Microscope: Fried egg appearance.
  • Mnemonic: All eggo dendrocytes (fried egg appearance).

Schwann Cells

  • Function: Myelination in the PNS.
  • Origin: Derived from neural crest.
  • Mnemonic: Swan's crest (Schwann, neural crest).

Ependymal Cells

  • Function: CSF regulation.
  • Location: Line the ventricles; can be simple columnar or cuboidal.
  • Structure: Apical surface has cilia and microvilli for CSF movement.
  • Mnemonic: CSF depends on ependymal (depends = ependymal).

Summary and Mnemonics

  • Astrocytes: Star cells, GFAP marker, most abundant.
  • Microglia: Small, CNS macrophages, phagocytosis, derived from mesoderm.
  • Oligodendrocytes: CNS myelination, neuroectoderm origin, fried egg appearance.
  • Schwann Cells: PNS myelination, neural crest origin, mnemonic - Swan's crest.
  • Ependymal Cells: CSF regulation, lines ventricles, mnemonic - CSF depends on ependymal.

This rapid review highlights essential features and mnemonics to aid in understanding and memorizing the roles and characteristics of different glial cells.

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