<p class="first" id="d999817e77">Astrocytes, initially described as merely support
cells, are now known as a heterogeneous
population of cells actively involved in a variety of biological functions such as:
neuronal migration and differentiation; regulation of cerebral blood flow; metabolic
control of extracellular potassium concentration; and modulation of synapse formation
and elimination; among others. Cerebellar glial cells have been shown to play a significant
role in proliferation, differentiation, migration, and synaptogenesis. However, less
evidence is available about the role of neuron-astrocyte interactions during cerebellar
development and their impact on diseases of the cerebellum. In this review, we will
focus on the mechanisms underlying cellular interactions, specifically neuron-astrocyte
interactions, during cerebellar development, function, and disease. We will discuss
how cerebellar glia, astrocytes, and Bergmann glia play a fundamental role in several
steps of cerebellar development, such as granule cell migration, axonal growth, neuronal
differentiation, and synapse formation, and in diseases associated with the cerebellum.
We will focus on how astrocytes and thyroid hormones impact cerebellar development.
Furthermore, we will provide evidence of how growth factors secreted by glial cells,
such as epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factors, control cerebellar
organogenesis. Finally, we will argue that glia are a key mediator of cerebellar development
and that identification of molecules and pathways involved in neuron-glia interactions
may contribute to a better understanding of cerebellar development and associated
disorders.
</p>