Astrocytes in development, aging and disease: starring GFAP

We show in this thesis that different subtypes of astrocytes comprise specialized GFAP-IF networks, that change during development, aging and Alzheimer’s disease. The novel functions that have emerged for the IF network suggest these changes can play an important part in the specialized function of these cells in both normal functions and brain disorders. We speculate on the possible regulation and function of this specialized IF network in astrocyte subtypes. Finally, we propose some suggestions for further research to find out how these changes affect the function of the different astrocyte subtypes. Over the years, astrocytes have already switched from brain glue to becoming important players in many CNS functions, however, the search for new astrocyte functions still continues. We believe that when future studies keep in mind the diversity of astrocytes and their specialized functions, this will soon improve our understanding of the different astrocyte subtypes and their specific roles in development, aging and disease.