FIGURE 4.

Glial interaction in TBI. In the TBI context, microglia and astrocytes interact through several pathways, and it is still not clear if these interactions potentiate or cushion tissue damage. ATP release from astrocytes induces microglial recruitment, and activated microglia induce astrogliosis and edema. On the other hand, microglia have been shown to regulate ATP release from astrocytes. M1 microglia phenotype and the release of IL-1β in white matter promote oligodendrocyte cell death. There is still unknown about the interactions between mature oligodendrocytes and astrocytes but connexins might play a role. Polydendrocytes, on the other hand, could proliferate and differentiate into astrocytes at the site of the lesion. The cartoon was made using SERVIER Medical Art templates smart.servier.com.