Astrocytes Functions and Their Involvement in Brain Injury

Abstract

Brain injury is damage to the brain caused by external forces. They are the leading cause of death and ill health in young men, with a high incidence worldwide. Glial cells make up the majority of central nervous system cells and play a key role in the brain's response to brain injury. Astrocytes play a crucial role in maintaining the brain's ionic and water balance, energy metabolism, regulation of the blood-brain barrier and immune response. In response to brain injury, astrocytes undergo morphological and behavioral changes that modify their protein expression. To sustain astrocytic responses in certain severe situations, therapeutic strategies that make use of biomaterials represent a significant advance in the field of regenerative medicine, as they create a microenvironment more conducive to nerve tissue regeneration. This chapter examines the behavior and responses of astrocytes to brain injury in the context of traumatic brain injury (TBI), as well as looking at the implication of biomaterials in the treatment of TBI.