@article {6960,
	title = {Conditions and constraints for astrocyte calcium signaling in the hippocampal mossy fiber pathway.},
	journal = {Neuron},
	volume = {82},
	year = {2014},
	month = {2014 Apr 16},
	pages = {413-29},
	abstract = {<p>The spatiotemporal activities of astrocyte Ca(2+) signaling in mature neuronal circuits remain unclear. We used genetically encoded Ca(2+) and glutamate indicators as well as pharmacogenetic and electrical control of neurotransmitter release to explore astrocyte activity in the hippocampal mossy fiber pathway. Our data revealed numerous localized, spontaneous Ca(2+) signals in astrocyte branches and territories, but these were not driven by neuronal activity or glutamate. Moreover, evoked astrocyte Ca(2+) signaling changed linearly with the number of mossy fiber action potentials. Under these settings, astrocyte responses were global, suppressed by neurotransmitter clearance, and mediated by glutamate and GABA. Thus, astrocyte engagement in the fully developed mossy fiber pathway was slow and territorial, contrary to that frequently proposed for astrocytes within microcircuits. We show that astrocyte Ca(2+) signaling functionally segregates large volumes of neuropil and that these transients are not suited for responding to, or regulating, single synapses in the mossy fiber pathway.</p>
},
	issn = {1097-4199},
	doi = {10.1016/j.neuron.2014.02.041},
	author = {Haustein, Martin D and Kracun, Sebastian and Lu, Xiao-Hong and Shih, Tiffany and Jackson-Weaver, Olan and Tong, Xiaoping and Xu, Ji and Yang, X William and O{\textquoteright}Dell, Thomas J and Marvin, Jonathan S and Ellisman, Mark H and Bushong, Eric A and Looger, Loren L and Khakh, Baljit S.}
}
@article {6126,
	title = {Genetically encoded calcium indicators and astrocyte calcium microdomains.},
	journal = {The Neuroscientist : A Review Journal Bringing Neurobiology, Neurology and Psychiatry},
	volume = {19},
	year = {2013},
	month = {2013 Jun},
	pages = {274-91},
	abstract = {<p>The discovery of intracellular Ca(2+) signals within astrocytes has changed our view of how these ubiquitous cells contribute to brain function. Classically thought merely to serve supportive functions, astrocytes are increasingly thought to respond to, and regulate, neurons. The use of organic Ca(2+) indicator dyes such as Fluo-4 and Fura-2 has proved instrumental in the study of astrocyte physiology. However, progress has recently been accelerated by the use of cytosolic and membrane targeted genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs). Herein, we review these recent findings, discuss why studying astrocyte Ca(2+) signals is important to understand brain function, and summarize work that led to the discovery of TRPA1 channel-mediated near-membrane Ca(2+) signals in astrocytes and their indirect neuromodulatory roles at inhibitory synapses in the CA1 stratum radiatum region of the hippocampus. We suggest that the use of membrane-targeted and cytosolic GECIs holds great promise to explore the diversity of Ca(2+) signals within single astrocytes and also to study diversity of function for astrocytes in different parts of the brain.</p>
},
	issn = {1089-4098},
	doi = {10.1177/1073858412468794},
	author = {Tong, Xiaoping and Shigetomi, Eiji and Looger, Loren L and Khakh, Baljit S.}
}
