208
Views
20
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Review

Glia-based biomarkers and their functional role in the CNS

&
Pages 43-63 | Published online: 09 Jan 2014
 

Abstract

Glial cells, a close partner to neurons, are able to communicate with each other and with neurons through secreted proteins and other molecules. Secreted proteins in the extracellular environment probably play a direct role in the control and regulation of numerous biological and disease processes in the nervous system. Provision of precise diagnosis and prognosis to patients with a neurological disorder is problematic. Glial activation is a hallmark of every type of injury to the nervous system. In these circumstances, it is the glial biomarker whose development and implementation can be the most suitable approach to assessment of neuroinflammation and neurotoxicity. Here, the importance of glial secreted proteins as diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers and their functional contribution to regulation of neuroinflammation are reviewed. Evidence for the use of glia-based biomarkers for improvement of diagnostic and prognostic accuracy is also summarized and recommendations for future glia-based biomarker research are provided.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) grants funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) of the Korean government (2012-0009328). This study was also supported by a grant from the Korean Health technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (A111345). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.