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Role of glial cells in pathophysiology of demyelinating diseases of the nervous system
Holásek, Michal ; Kriška, Ján (advisor) ; Pivoňková, Helena (referee)
Glial cells, such as oligodendrocytes, Schwann cells, NG2 glia, astrocytes, and microglia, play a major role in the homeostasis of the nervous system, including the myelin sheath maintenance. Enveloping myelin sheaths produced by oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells, provide a mechanical, isolating, and trophic support to the axons. Importantly, a disruption of a certain component or a dysregulation of a specific process may lead to the collapse and the loss of the myelin sheath, known as demyelination. Axonal demyelination is a pathological condition characteristic of different neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, Charcot-Marie- Toth disease, or Lyme neuroborreliosis. Since, demyelinating diseases are still more prevalent in the population, a suitable and effective treatment is crucial for the patients. However, treatment is not available, which results from an insufficient understanding of pathological mechanisms, low permeability through the blood-brain barrier, and a limited regenerative capacity of the nervous system. Therefore, further research in the field of demyelinating diseases is necessary. Key words: oligodendrocyte precursor cell, oligodendrocyte, Schwann cell, myelination, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, multiple sclerosis,...
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Glial cells and their role in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Vaňátko, Ondřej ; Anděrová, Miroslava (advisor) ; Černý, Jan (referee)
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. It affects upper and lower motor neurons in the brain motor cortex, the brain stem and the spinal cord, causing their death, which results in denervation of voluntary muscles. Progressive muscle weakness and atrophy throughout the entire body gradually leads to worsening of the ability to move, speak, chew, swallow and eventually breath. Ultimately it results in affected individual's death due to respiratory muscle failure. Although first identified in 1869, no cure for ALS has been yet found. While early studies focused mainly on the research of motor neurons themselves, the attention has shifted towards glial cells in the past two decades. Glial cells are essential for proper neuron functioning and survival and it appears that they play a major role in ALS progression. The goal of this thesis is to review and summarize findings on the role of glial cells in ALS over the last years, focusing on four specific types of glial cells, namely astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes and NG2-glia. Key words: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS, motor neuron, glia, astrocyte, microglia, oligodendrocyte, NG2-glia
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