Astrocytes are star-shaped glial cells in the brain and spinal cord.  They perform many functions, including biochemical support of endothelial cells that form the blood–brain barrier, provision of nutrients to the nervous tissue, maintenance of extracellular ion balance, and a role in the repair and scarring process of the brain and spinal cord following traumatic injuries.  However, while there is decades of data in mice … Continue reading Researchers purify and grow human astrocytes-in-a-dish for the first time ever.