Astrocytes are a subtype of non-neuronal glial cells that reside in the central nervous system. Astrocytes have extensive peripheral astrocytic processes that ensheathe synapses to form the tripartite synapse. Through a multitude of pathways, astrocytes can influence synaptic development and structural maturation, respond to neuronal signals, and modulate synaptic transmission. Over the last decade, strong evidence has emerged demonstrating that astrocytes can influence behavioral outcomes in various animal models of cognition. However, the full extent of how astrocytes influence brain function is still being revealed. Astrocyte calcium (Ca2+) signaling has emerged as an important driver of astrocyte-neuronal communication allowing intricate crosstalk through mechanisms that are still not fully understood. Here, we will review the field's current understanding of astrocyte Ca2+ signaling and discuss the sophisticated state-of-the-art tools and approaches used to continue unraveling astrocytes' interesting role in brain function. Using the field of pre-clinical ethanol (EtOH) studies in the context of alcohol use disorder, we focus on how these novel approaches have helped to reveal an important role for astrocyte Ca2+ function in regulating EtOH consumption and how astrocyte Ca2+ dysfunction contributes to the cognitive deficits that emerge after EtOH exposure in a rodent model.

中文翻译：

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星形胶质细胞特异性 Ca2+ 活性：作用机制、实验工具以及在乙醇引起的功能障碍中的作用。

星形胶质细胞是驻留在中枢神经系统中的非神经元胶质细胞的一种亚型。星形胶质细胞具有广泛的外周星形胶质细胞突起，包裹突触形成三联突触。通过多种途径，星形胶质细胞可以影响突触发育和结构成熟，对神经元信号做出反应并调节突触传递。在过去的十年中，强有力的证据表明星形胶质细胞可以影响各种动物认知模型的行为结果。然而，星形胶质细胞如何影响大脑功能的全部范围仍在揭示中。星形胶质细胞钙 (Ca2+) 信号传导已成为星形胶质细胞-神经元通讯的重要驱动因素，允许通过尚未完全了解的机制进行复杂的串扰。在这里，我们将回顾该领域目前对星形胶质细胞 Ca2+ 信号传导的理解，并讨论用于继续揭示星形胶质细胞在大脑功能中有趣作用的复杂、最先进的工具和方法。利用酒精使用障碍背景下的临床前乙醇 (EtOH) 研究领域，我们重点关注这些新方法如何帮助揭示星形胶质细胞 Ca2+ 功能在调节 EtOH 消耗中的重要作用，以及星形胶质细胞 Ca2+ 功能障碍如何导致酒精使用障碍。啮齿动物模型中乙醇暴露后出现的认知缺陷。