Chemokines and Central Nervous System Physiology

Abstract

Publisher Summary The chemokine system is involved in many important aspects of central nervous system (CNS) functioning. This chapter discusses the role of chemokines in the development, normal physiology, and pathological inflammatory and malignant processes of the CNS. The chemokines orchestrate the trafficking of leukocytes into the CNS in homeostasis and in response to stress, injury, infection, and autoimmune diseases. However, chemokines also play a role in the positioning of neurons during CNS development and in the growth and movement of neuronal tumors. Chemokines represent novel therapeutic targets for inflammatory and malignant diseases of the CNS. In keeping with their effects on leukocytes, chemokines have shown to effect the proliferation, survival, and migration of neural precursors. In the adult CNS, which has more fully differentiated neurons, chemokines exert trophic effects and participate in synaptogenesis, while chemokine receptors exert modulatory influences on neuronal responses to classical neurotransmitters. The over expression of chemokine receptors in neural cell types is associated with the development of CNS neoplastic diseases.