Glial Cell

Glial cells are also known as neuroglia, meaning nerve "glue".

Macroglia

 * 1) Astrocytes: they have light cytoplasm, astrocytic filamentous bodies, numerous processes and they can form a glial "scar". Their functions are:
 * 2) to contribute to the extracellular potassium concentration maintenance
 * 3) to cover the basal lamina of the capillaries (part of the blood-brain-barrier) and transport some of the nutrients to neurons through their cytoplasm
 * 4) to cover the surface layer of the CNS (glia limitans)
 * 5) to cover the surface of neurons, fill in the interneuronal spaces
 * 6) by finger-like processes surround and isolate synaptic clefts, astrocytes may contribute to the inactivation of neurotransmitters (GABA, glutamate, glycine after the brain is damaged, they form astrocytic scar (preventing the regrowth of central axons)
 * 7) Oligodendrocytes: they contribute to the surface cover (myelination) of neuronal bodies and processes (glial cell processes surround unmyelinated fibers, layers of myelin). Oligodendrocyte‘s plasma membrane contains voltage-gated ion channels. Myelin-forming cell furnishes channels for the axon → myelin provides a signal to prevent the insertion of sodium channels into the internodal region of a myelinated nerve fibre.

Microglia
Microglia are functionally similar to macrophages; is probably of mesodermal origin; microglial cells are activated by some pathologic and reparatory processes in the CNS (gliosis)

Ependymal cells
They line the internal cavities of the CNS - part of the blood-brain barrier and they can absorb and secrete cerebrospinal fluid.

Control of extracellular potassium concentration
Glial cells have a resting potential of about -90 mV (more negative than a typical neuronal membrane), which is nearly identical to EK (equilibrium potential for K+). Plasma membrane contains various densities of K+ channels, which are employed in the control of ECF’s [K+], voltage-gated Na+, K+, Ca2+ channels, which incorporated into the neuronal membrane and/or may serve to generation of electrical signals with Ca2+ probably serving as a second messenger. Gap junctions among glia cells provide a low-resistance pathway for intercellular ionic current and a flow of some substances.

During the repolarization phase and the afterhyperpolarization of each neuronal action potential, a small amount of potassium leaves the neurons into the ECF. Following a sustained neuronal activity, a local increase in [K+] can be detected. This increase must be cleared to prevent depolarization of neurons and synaptic terminals in the vicinity, through the following ways:
 * 1) Diffusion (a comparatively slow process)
 * 2) Flow of potassium current through glia (spatial buffering) - as the glial resting potential lies close to EK, increase of extracellular [K+] depolarizes the glial membrane:
 * 3) Since the depolarized cells are somewhat negative to the local EK, potassium enters the cell and serve as charge carriers to the less depolarized regions of the glial syncytium
 * 4) the electrical circuit is completed by the extracellular flow of sodium and chloride ions →
 * 5) redistribution of K+  during the neuronal activity
 * 6) Active transport of extracellular K+ back into neurons back the glia.

Glial cells at the site of an old brain injury are not as efficient in the spacial buffering of potassium ions → tendency for epileptic seizures in regions of an astrocytic scar, due to rise of ECF [K+] → depolarization → increased excitability (e.g.: seizures)