DAMPs and Gliosis

Abstract

Glial cells change their morphology, molecular signature, and functional events in response to neurodegenerative diseases and injury in the brain and retina. This process is termed gliosis. Gliosis is context-dependent, based on the severity of the diseases or damage, and can be protective or detrimental to neural functioning. Recent reports show that Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs) are endogenous danger molecules that are released from damaged or dying cells associated with gliosis. This article is focused on the pathological and protective role of extracellular, cytosolic, and nuclear DAMPs on gliosis.