Immunology of Nervous System Astrocytes, Oligodendrocytes, and Schwann Cells

Astrocytes are the most abundant cell type in the brain. They are involved in all the physiological functions of the nervous system. In pathological conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, multiple sclerosis, HIV-associated dementia, bacterial, fungal, parasitic, cancers, stroke, and traumatic brain injury, astrocytes play a key role in propagating disease and recovery. Other nonneuronal cell types, such as oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system and Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system, are essential for the function of our bodies, but damage to them is irreversible. This chapter focuses on the historical and novel findings about the role of glial cells in healthy and disease-associated conditions.