Encyclopedia of Neuroscience

2009 Edition
| Editors: Marc D. Binder, Nobutaka Hirokawa, Uwe Windhorst

Microglial Signaling Regulation by Neuropeptides

  • Kyoungho Suk
Reference work entry
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_3484
How to cite

Definition

Neuropeptides are short-chain peptides found in brain tissue, with some functioning as neurotransmitters and others functioning as hormones. Recent studies indicated that neuropeptides may directly or indirectly regulate glial functions in the central nervous system (CNS). Described here are the effects of neuropeptides pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) on inflammatory activation of microglia and intracellular signal transduction pathways associated with the microglial activation. As microglia are believed to function as the resident immune defense system of the brain and to participate in neuroinflammation in response to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli, the neuropeptides may modulate immune and inflammatory responses in the CNS by influencing microglial signaling.

Characteristics

Description of the Structure/Process/Conditions

Microglia and Neuroinflammation

The central nervous system (CNS) consists of neuron...
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Notes

Acknowledgements

The author's laboratory was supported by the Korea Research Foundation Grant funded by the Korean Government (MOEHRD, Basic Research Promotion Fund) (KRF-2006-005-J04202; KRF-2006-311-E00045) and by the Brain Korea 21 Project in 2006–2007. This work was also supported by the Neurobiology Research Program from the Korea Ministry of Science and Technology. Studies on the microglial signal transduction were supported by grant No. R01-2006-000-10314-0 from the Basic Research Program of the Korea Science & Engineering Foundation.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag GmbH Berlin Heidelberg 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  • Kyoungho Suk
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of PharmacologySchool of Medicine, Kyungpook National UniversityDaeguKorea