Unveiling the Extracellular Space of the Brain: From Super-resolved Microstructure to In Vivo Function

Sabina Hrabetova, Laurent Cognet, Dmitri A. Rusakov, U. Valentin Nägerl
J. Neurosci.. 2018-10-31; 38(44): 9355-9363
DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1664-18.2018

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1. J Neurosci. 2018 Oct 31;38(44):9355-9363. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1664-18.2018.

Unveiling the Extracellular Space of the Brain: From Super-resolved
Microstructure to In Vivo Function.

Hrabetova S(1), Cognet L(2)(3), Rusakov DA(4), Nägerl UV(5)(6).

Author information:
(1)Department of Cell Biology, State University of New York Downstate Medical
Center, Brooklyn, New York 11203.
(2)Université de Bordeaux, Laboratoire Photonique Numérique et Nanosciences,
F-33400 Talence, France.
(3)Institut d’Optique and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, F-33400
Talence, France.
(4)Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United
Kingdom.
(5)Institut Interdisciplinaire des Neurosciences, Université de Bordeaux, 33077
Bordeaux, France, and .
(6)Institut Interdisciplinaire des Neurosciences, Centre National de la
Recherche, 33077 Bordeaux, France.

The extracellular space occupies approximately one-fifth of brain volume, molding
a spider web of gaps filled with interstitial fluid and extracellular matrix
where neurons and glial cells perform in concert. Yet, very little is known about
the spatial organization and dynamics of the extracellular space, let alone its
influence on brain function, owing to a lack of appropriate techniques (and a
traditional bias toward the inside of cells, not the spaces in between). At the
same time, it is clear that understanding fundamental brain functions, such as
synaptic transmission, memory, sleep, and recovery from disease, calls for more
focused research on the extracellular space of the brain. This review article
highlights several key research areas, covering recent methodological and
conceptual progress that illuminates this understudied, yet critically important,
brain compartment, providing insights into the opportunities and challenges of
this nascent field.

Copyright © 2018 the authors 0270-6474/18/389355-09$15.00/0.

DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1664-18.2018
PMID: 30381427

Auteurs Bordeaux Neurocampus