In the theater of the brain, nerve cells have long been cast as the stars, bringing mental scenes to life with their electrical and chemical performances. Yet many of the cellular actors in the human brain are glial cells, presumably the supporting cast and behind-the-scenes stagehands.
In recent decades, though, accumulating evidence has shown that glia are not just minor players that keep the show running. They actually play starring roles in many of the brain’s most important acts, such as remembering, learning and thinking.
And the latest research points to a surprising new setting for the story of glia: outside the brain. Mysterious populations of glia reside in
→ Continue reading at Science News