Glial Versatility

Glia are neuron-supporting cells of the peripheral and central nervous system. But, recent research reveals peripheral glia have an immunoregulatory role too. In the guts of mice, for example, glial cells contribute to the inflammatory response to parasites, while in human intestines, glial cell activation is implicated in inflammatory bowel disease. Scientists are now extending the study of glia’s immunoregulatory functions to other peripheral tissues, including the skin (pictured with fluorescently labelled glia). The skin in this image has been taken from the ear of a mouse. It was optically cleared making it transparent while maintaining its 3D structure, and the glia are colour-coded with those deep in the skin appearing purple and those nearer the surface appearing yellow. By deciphering the molecular cues that promote the pro-inflammatory actions of glia it’s hoped these cells can be targeted to control inflammation in conditions such as Crohn’s disease and dermatitis.

Written by Ruth Williams

Ruth Williams

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Ruth is a freelance science journalist based in the US. She's a regular correspondent for The Scientist, and her work has appeared in The Lancet, Nature, Scientific American Mind, BBC Focus and elsewhere. Twitter @rooph

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• Image contributed by Luca Verger
• Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
• Image copyright held by Luca Verger