Glial cell involvement in spinal motor control: cheering from the side-lines or part of the team?

研究大脑和脊髓（中枢神经系统）功能的研究通常侧重于神经细胞的作用。然而，最近的研究表明，其他细胞，称为神经胶质细胞，也控制大脑活动，因此行为。此外，已知神经胶质细胞的功能障碍涉及中枢神经系统的许多病症。鉴于神经胶质细胞在健康和疾病中的潜在重要性，以及缺乏广泛接受神经胶质细胞不仅仅是“支持细胞”，我们的目标是提供明确的证据，证明神经胶质细胞参与控制神经网络并最终控制行为。我们将通过研究神经胶质细胞在控制运动的脊髓神经网络中的作用来实现这一目标。我们之所以选择脊髓网络，是因为与大脑中的大多数网络不同，它们相对明确，我们知道并可以测量它们控制的行为。我们的研究将涉及使用最先进的遗传、生理和成像技术，使我们能够测量神经元和神经胶质细胞的活动，并研究它们的相互作用。使用小鼠脊髓的分离片段，我们将首先定义神经胶质细胞和神经元之间的双向信号传导机制。然后，我们将研究神经胶质细胞到神经元信号传导对脊髓中控制行走的神经元网络的影响。这个网络可以用分离的老鼠脊髓组织来研究，即使在“盘子里”，脊髓组织也可以产生控制行走的电信号。接下来，我们将研究人类细胞中的神经胶质到神经元的信号传导。我们将使用新技术，从人类皮肤样本中提取干细胞。然后，这些干细胞可以转化为神经胶质细胞和脊髓神经元，它们可以一起生长并在实验室中进行研究。通过定义神经胶质细胞和脊髓神经元的通信方式以及这种信号对控制运动的神经网络的影响，我们将提供有关神经胶质细胞在产生中枢神经系统活动和最终控制行为中的作用的重要新信息。此外，鉴于许多脑和脊髓疾病涉及神经胶质细胞，我们产生的关于神经胶质细胞功能的基本知识（在小鼠中，重要的是也在人类中）将对未来针对神经胶质细胞的研究至关重要，以设计一系列疾病的新疗法。

Research investigating the function of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system) typically focuses on the role of nerve cells. However, recent work suggests that other cells, called glial cells, also control brain activity and therefore behaviour. Furthermore, the dysfunction of glial cells is known to be involved in many disorders of the central nervous system. Given the potential importance of glial cells in both health and disease, and the lack of widespread acceptance that glial cells are more than just 'support cells', we aim to provide clear evidence of involvement of glial cells in the control of neural networks and ultimately behaviour. We will achieve this by studying the role of glial cells in neural networks of the spinal cord which control movement. We have chosen networks of the spinal cord because, unlike most networks in the brain, they are relatively well-defined and we know and can measure the behaviour they control.Our research will involve the use of state-of-the-art genetic, physiological and imaging techniques that allow us to measure the activity of neurons and glial cells and study their interactions. Using isolated pieces of mouse spinal cord we will first define the mechanisms of bi-directional signalling between glial cells and neurons. We will then examine the effect that glia to neuron signalling has on the network of neurons in the spinal cord which controls walking. This network can be studied using isolated mouse spinal cord tissue which can generate the electrical signals that control walking even when 'in a dish'. Next, we will study glia to neuron signalling in human cells. We will use new technology which allows stem cells to be derived from human skin samples. These stem cells can then be turned into glial cells and spinal neurons which can be grown together and studied in the lab. By defining the ways in which glial cells and neurons of the spinal cord communicate and the effect this signalling has on neural networks that control movement, we will provide important new information about the role of glial cells in the generation of central nervous system activity and ultimately the control of behaviour. In addition, given that many diseases of the brain and spinal cord involve glial cells, the basic knowledge we generate about the function of glial cells (in mice and importantly also humans) will be critical for future studies targeting glial cells to design new treatments for a range of diseases.