Cellular and Molecular Biology of Glia Study Section – CMBG
The Cellular Molecular Biology of Glia (CMBG) Study Section reviews neuroscience applications on glial-neuronal, glial-glial, and related interactions (Schwann cells, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, microglia and pericytes); mechanisms of glial differentiation, metabolism, and myelination; neuroinflammation (innate immune and microglia). The focus is mechanistic studies involving glial biology (including pericytes), the blood-brain barrier, and neurovascular system. Also considered are the role of glia in synaptogenesis, neurodegeneration, motor neuron diseases and sensory function. Most studies use rodent, zebrafish or drosophila models.
The List of Reviewers lists all present, whether standing members or temporary, to provide the full scope of expertise present on that date. Lists are posted 30 days before the meeting and are tentative, pending any last minute changes.
Review Dates
Topics
- Basic biology, growth and differentiation of glial cells.
- Neuroglial interactions; growth factors and receptors in neuroglial function; role of glia in synaptic transmission; role of glia in the homeostasis of the neural environment.
- Inductive signals for the initiation, synthesis, regulation, maintenance, and degradation of myelin; mechanisms involved in demyelinating and dysmyelinating diseases and remyelination processes where the focus is glial biology.
- Glial response to injury or infection; the innate immune function of glial cells; phagocytosis (microglia), innate immune response to injury, repair processes, and/or neurodegenerative disease; secondary inflammation.
- Neuroimmune molecules [e.g., cytokines, chemokines, proteases] and their interactions with the nervous system.
- Primary diseases of glial cells such as gliomas and schwannomas; role of glia in disorders affecting the nervous system such as the lysosomal storage diseases and leukodystrophies.
- Blood brain barrier formation and function and the extended neurovascular unit including pericytes and astrocytes that interact with the blood brain barrier, cerebral microvasculature function, glial responses to ischemia and stroke.
- The role of glia in cell programming and cell fate.
Shared Interests and Overlaps
Cellular and Molecular Biology of Neurodegeneration (CMND) - Applications involving cellular and molecular aspects of neurodegeneration at a mechanistic level may be reviewed in CMND. Applications studying neurodegenerative disorders that involve glia as effectors may be reviewed in CMBG.
There are shared interests in the role of glia and blood-brain barrier in the mechanisms underlying neuroimmunological and autoimmune responses in neural diseases including demyelinating diseases, inflammatory neuropathies, and neurodegenerative disorders with Clinical Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumors (CNBT). Applications that emphasize basic science and mechanistic studies focused on the role of glia and blood-brain barrier in the mechanisms underlying these diseases are reviewed in CMBG. Applications that emphasize the pathogenesis, progression, and treatment of CNS autoimmune demyelinating diseases are reviewed in CNBT.
Neurogenesis and Cell Fate (NCF) - Applications involving glial development and cell fate specification may be reviewed by either CMBG or NCF. Applications with a focus on cell fate determination or glial involvement in early development may be reviewed in NCF while those involving broader glial function would likely be reviewed in CMBG.
Brain Injury and Neurovascular Pathologies (BINP) - Applications that emphasize vascular abnormalities and alterations in the blood-brain barrier may be reviewed in BINP. Basic mechanistic or developmental studies on blood-brain barrier cells or neurovascular structure and function are likely reviewed in CMBG.
Neuronal Communications (NC) - Applications that focus on synaptic function and plasticity and those emphasizing the basic science of ion channels and transporters may be reviewed in NC. Applications focusing on glial physiology and synaptic plasticity as modulated by glia may be reviewed in CMBG.
Neurodifferentiation, Plasticity, and Regeneration (NDPR) - NDPR may review studies of neuronal processes that involve glia, for example the role of glia in axon outgrowth during development and regeneration, synaptogenesis, and dendrite formation.
Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Neuroimmunology, Rhythms, and Sleep [BNRS] - Applications which focus on interactions between the central nervous system and the immune system with emphasis on the basic physiology and pathobiology of glial cells may be reviewed by CMBG, whereas if there is a focus on behavior it is generally reviewed by BNRS.
There are shared interests with the Mechanisms of Autoimmunity (MAI). Applications that focus on autoimmune mechanisms of neurologic damage may be reviewed in MAI. Applications examining neural tissue and processes associated with neural diseases may be reviewed in CMBG.
