Glial Galaxy

Scanning laser microscope (confocal microscope) image of a kind of glial cell termed “astrocyte.” These astrocytes were cultured in a dish from the brain tissue of a mouse. As the name suggests, these cells take the form of what looks like stars or galaxies. Proper astrocyte function is critical for brain health and to prevent the breakdown of

brain tissue such as in the case of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers use astrocytes to study how oxidative stress negatively impacts the nervous system. They stain the cells to visualize them. Yellow shows the cytoskeleton and purple is the nucleus of the cell, where the DNA is located.