Table 2.

Selected studies on astrocyte-mediated synaptic pruning during development and neurodegeneration

Material used	Molecules investigated	Inhibitors used	Summary	References
Megf10 KO and Mertk KO mice	MEGF10 and MERTK	Genetic deletion of Megf10 and Mertk	Astrocytes mediate synapse elimination through MEGF10 and MERTK pathways.	Chung, 2013 [41]
APOE KI mice	APOE2, APOE3, and APOE4	Genetic knock-in of human APOE	APOE can facilitate or inhibit the astrocyte-mediated phagocytosis with the presence of opsonins.	Chung, 2016 [42]
Il1a KO, Tnf KO, C1qa KO mice, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient brain tissue	IL-1α, TNF, C1q, C3	Genetic deletion of Il1a, Tnf, C1qa	Reactive microglia can secrete cytokines that induce reactive astrocytes, which in turn upregulate complement-mediated synaptic loss and also secrete neurotoxic factors to kill a subset of neurons and oligodendrocytes in multiple neurodegenerative conditions.	Liddelow, 2017 [47]