Glial Cell

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-012338",
  "term": "Glial Cell",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. The non-neuronal cells of the nervous system. They not only provide physical support, but also respond to injury, regulate the ionic and chemical composition of the extracellular milieu, participate in the blood-brain and blood-retina barriers, form the myelin insulation of nervous pathways, guide neuronal migration during development, and exchange metabolites with neurons. Neuroglia have high-affinity transmitter uptake systems, voltage-dependent and transmitter-gated ion channels, and can release transmitters, but their role in signaling (as in many other functions) is unclear.\n\n2. Any of the cells that hold nerve cells in place and help them work the way they should. The types of neuroglia include oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, microglia, and ependymal cells.",
  "references": [
    "NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)",
    "National Cancer Institute Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/glial-cell/"
}