Question

Astrocytes are glial cells that are responsible for reactive gliosis in response to neural injury. They may fill up the extracellular space left by degenerating neurons by forming an astroglial scar. What is the role of astrocytes in response to neural injury?

1) They promote the regeneration of neurons
2) They remove the degenerating neurons
3) They form an astroglial scar
4) They cause inflammation in the brain

Answer 1

Astrocytes form an astroglial scar in response to neural injury, which serves to isolate the damaged area and maintain CNS integrity; they do not regenerate neurons or directly cause inflammation.

Step-by-step explanation:

In response to neural injury, astrocytes play a significant role in the repair and healing processes within the central nervous system (CNS). While they do not promote the regeneration of neurons, they are crucial in response to such injury through a process known as reactive gliosis, wherein they proliferate and hypertrophy. The key function of astrocytes in this context is to form an astroglial scar, thereby filling up the extracellular space left by degenerating neurons. This scar formation serves to isolate the damaged area from the surrounding tissue, which helps maintain the integrity of the CNS. However, it's important to note that this process does not directly cause inflammation in the brain, nor does it remove degenerating neurons. While astrocytes do interact with the immune responses in the CNS and can influence inflammation indirectly, their primary role in injury is structural and supportive, not immunological.