Functional studies in cultured astrocytes

Studies using primary cultures of astrocytes have made essential contributions to the understanding of astrocytic functions and neuronal-astrocytic interactions. The purposes of this article are to (i) outline principles and methodologies used in the preparation of such cultures and caveats for the interpretation of the observations made; (ii) summarize astrocytic functions in turnover of the amino acid transmitters glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), in energy metabolism and in Na+,K+-ATPase-catalyzed processes and emphasize the degree to which the observations have been confirmed in intact tissue; (iii) describe regulations of astrocytic functions by transmitters and by calcium channel activity; and (iv) indicate suggestions for future functional studies using astrocytes in primary cultures and emphasize that some of the conclusions about neuronal-astrocytic interactions reached on the basis of studies in cultured cells and confirmed in intact tissue may not yet have been completely integrated into general neuroscience knowledge. (C) 1998 Academic Press.