Glial cells are present in the brain roughly in an equal proportions to neurons, although such a ratio can vary significantly between different regions. They are central in several homeostatic and developmental aspects of the central nervous system and include oligodendrocytes progenitors and mature oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and the “immune guests” of the CNS – the microglial cells, all of which display considerable morphological and functional variability, according to several recent investigations.
This review, realised Nicola J. Allen and David A. Lyons, gathers all the most recent insights about glial cells and give a clear and wide perspective to help understanding the many homeostatic and developmental tasks these cells achieve in the functioning of brain.